Former DEP Commissioner Joins Pinelands Commission

Photo courtesy Pinelands Commission

  OCEAN COUNTY – Mark Mauriello, a former Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP), was sworn in as a member of the Pinelands Commission’s 15-member board.

  “Mark Mauriello brings decades of experience and expertise in crafting and administering regulations that protect New Jersey’s environment,” said Susan R. Grogan, Acting Executive Director of the Pinelands Commission. “We look forward to working with him as we continue our efforts to preserve, protect and enhance the Pinelands.”

  “I would like to thank Governor Murphy for this appointment and am honored to join the Pinelands Commission as a Commissioner,” Mauriello said. “I look forward to working with my fellow Commissioners and the dedicated Commission staff to promote orderly development of the Pinelands, while protecting and preserving the unique resources of the Pinelands.”

  Mr. Mauriello joined the Pinelands Commission as a gubernatorial appointee in November 2022, and he replaces Ocean County leader and builder Gary Quinn on the agency’s board.

  Mr. Mauriello began his career with the NJDEP in May 1980, after earning a bachelor’s degree in geology from Middlebury College in Vermont. He accepted a position as a shoreline mapping specialist with the New Jersey Geological Survey, and during the 1980s and 1990s he rose through the ranks of the Division of Coastal Resources and Land Use Regulation Division and was appointed as Division Director in 2002. In 2006, Mr. Mauriello was selected by NJDEP Commissioner Lisa Jackson to be Assistant Commissioner for Land Use Management. In November 2008, Mr. Mauriello was nominated by Governor Jon S. Corzine to serve as Commissioner of the NJDEP, replacing newly confirmed U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa Jackson. He served in that capacity from November 2008 until his retirement from NJDEP in January 2010. Throughout his 30-year career with the NJDEP, Mr. Mauriello gained extensive experience in land use regulation, natural hazard management and mitigation, coastal zone management and floodplain management. Upon retiring from NJDEP in January 2010, Mr. Mauriello formed Mark Mauriello Consulting, LLC, specializing in coastal zone management, floodplain management, land use regulation and regulatory compliance. In March 2010, he accepted a position as Director of Environmental Affairs and Planning with Edgewood Properties. In this capacity, Mr. Mauriello is responsible for overseeing the company’s environmental programs and planning initiatives and serves as an advisor on regulatory issues and property acquisitions. He also serves as vice-president of the Board of Trustees of New Jersey Future, vice-president of the Board of Trustees of American Littoral Society and as a Board member of the New Jersey Association for Floodplain Management.

  After swearing in Mr. Mauriello, the Pinelands Commission adopted separate resolutions honoring former Commissioner Quinn and former Commissioner Jane Jannarone for their service.

  Mr. Quinn served as a gubernatorial representative on the Pinelands Commission from July 27, 2011 to November 21, 2022. He brought a wealth of experience in municipal and county government to the Commission. He served on the Lacey Township Committee for 15 years, including five years as Mayor and five years as Deputy Mayor. He was also a member of the Lacey Township Planning Board and the Lacey Township Board of Education. He is currently serving his second term on the Ocean County Board of Commissioners.

  Ms. Jannarone served as Cumberland County’s representative on the Commission from June 12, 2014 until her resignation on December 1, 2022. She previously served as a member of the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners and she is a real estate broker with more than 25 years of experience.

  In addition to the resolutions, canvas prints of Pinelands photos taken by Commission staff will be gifted to Mr. Quinn and Ms. Jannarone in appreciation for their years of dedicated service.

  The Pinelands Commission is an independent state agency that is charged with protecting the natural, cultural, and historic resources of the 938,000-acre state Pinelands Area, which includes parts or all of 53 municipalities in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Ocean counties. 

  The Commission’s 15-member board consists of seven members who are appointed by the New Jersey Governor, one member appointed by each of the seven Pinelands counties, and one member appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. Commission members are unpaid volunteers who dedicate countless hours of their time and expertise while serving on the Commission.