Morris County's boat shrink-wrap program is back, once again giving boaters and marina owners a program allowing them to protect the environment as much as their own vessels.

In an effort to keep boat shrink-wrap out of the trash, the Morris County Municipal Utilities Authority and the Morris County Park Commission are partnering for the third year in a row to conduct a free recycling program for the material.

The Park Commission will host a collection container for boat shrink-wrap at Lee's Marina County Park on Lake Hopatcong from March 15 to June 30.

Plastic shrink-wrap is a popular and cost-effective material used by marinas and boat owners to protect boats and other marine vessels from harsh winter weather conditions, sunshine and other harmful elements. However, the material does not degrade and usually winds up in landfills where it may take up space for years, said Liz Sweedy, senior recycling specialist with the MUA.

"Dumping the shrink-wrap in a landfill simply adds to our trash problem," Sweedy said. "Recycling keeps the material out of landfills and is a much better option."

The collection container at Lee's Marina, 443 Howard Boulevard, Mount Arlington, will be marked for shrink-wrap.

To prepare the shrink-wrap, all doors, vents, rope, ribbon strapping, labels and any other non-shrink-wrap materials should be removed. When dry, the shrink-wrap should be rolled up on a clean surface and tied into a bundle using a strip cut from the end of the wrap as a tie. The shrink-wrap may be placed into the recycling container between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. each day of the collection program.

Owners of boats or watercraft that are stored or docked elsewhere will also be able to take their shrink-wrap to Lee's Marina County Park for recycling.

"We've found boaters and marina owners want to help protect the environment and have welcomed this program,' Sweedy said. "Since this program began in 2008, approximately 19 tons of boat shrink-wrap has been collected and kept out of landfills."

More information about the program may be obtained by calling the MCMUA at (973) 285-8394.

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The Morris County Board of Freeholders on March 10 recognized a student at the Morris County School of Technology for having been selected for a new internship program aimed at teaching green energy technology.

Jillian Young of Newfoundland received a $1,000 check for her scholastic achievement in green energy technology while interning with the Morris County Park Commission.

"The green internship is a wonderful program that prepares students for the emerging green economy," said Freeholder Director Gene Feyl. "It gives the students hands-on experience with the technologies that will be central to our economic future."

The internship program was developed by the NJAC Foundation, an educational nonprofit run by the New Jersey Association of Counties, in conjunction with the vocational-technical schools in the state. The program is funded by Wal-Mart.

It is also hoped the internship program will encourage students to pursue careers in green technologies in county government.

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The Morris County Freeholders have introduced a $308 million county operating budget that cuts $2 million from the total county tax levy.

"This marks the second year in a row that we've been able to cut the net tax levy by $2 million," said Freeholder Director Gene Feyl. "We've done it in spite of increased costs, reduced ratables and a heavy demand on our human services."

Feyl, a member of the freeholder budget sub-committee, said the reduction in the tax levy is inclusive of the 1-cent cut in the county's Open Space Tax approved by the freeholders earlier this year.

The 2010 budget reflects a gross reduction of 53 county employees through attrition. There were five positions added to the Communication Center, and these will be fully funded by the municipalities being served, bringing the net reduction of county employees to 48.

Freeholder Margaret Nordstrom, who chairs the budget sub-committee, said one of the goals the freeholders had in developing the budget was to minimize the tax levy while maximizing county services to the greatest extent possible.

"We've reduced the cost of providing services to county residents rather than reducing the services themselves," said Nordstrom. She said the priority areas in the budget included social services, health and public safety and economic development.

Nordstrom said the 2010 spending plan is 2.8 percent higher than last year's budget, and said it includes funds to provide 700,000 meals under the county nutrition program, 80,000 rides to senior citizens and the disabled under the county's MAPS program and to meet the increased requests from those in need of general assistance programs.

The freeholders said shared services agreements with several counties for use of Morris County's Juvenile Detention Center and the Morris County Youth Shelter will result in approximately $1.13 million in revenue to Morris. The freeholders also said operational efficiencies and revenue enhancements at Morris View Healthcare Center produced a net savings of $2.5 million last year, with additional reductions being pursued in 2010.

A public hearing on the budget is scheduled for April 14 at 7:30 p.m.

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