The Livingston Township Council voted Wednesday night to give PSE&G customers 100% Green Energy for the next sixteen months, a move that has already won them plaudits from a leading state environmentalist and U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-Montclair).

“Over that time, we will be saving those ratepayers $1.125 million,” councilman Shawn Klein said in a social media post that saluted the entire governing body for their leadership. The measure was approved unanimously by the all-Democratic council.

Klein said that Livingston joins one of a handful of towns nationally to have 100% green energy and praised the entire township council for working together.

“I am so proud to say that Livingston and its 30,000 residents are now treating climate change like the immediate and enormous threat that it is, and we are leading the way in New Jersey and in the U.S.,” said Klein. “This will help to close down coal burning power plants and put new solar and wind on-line. Livingston is doing its part and we should all be so proud.”

Mayor Al Anthony, an environmental lawyer who sues polluters on behalf of victims of environmental pollution, said this was “a great day for Livingston.”

Environment New Jersey director Doug O’Malley praised Livingston for stepping up.

“Having a town the size of Livingston move to 100% is a sign that there’s a growing grassroots effort to deal with the effects of climate change,” O’Malley told the New Jersey Globe. “Let’s not wait for international leaders to deal with it.”

Klein said that PSE&G covers 72% of residents, with the rest covered by Jersey Central Power & Light. Those residents will be at 41% green energy, nearly double the state-mandated number.

“This is a welcome example of energy innovation in New Jersey leading to lower costs and increased access to clean, renewable power,” said Sherill. “The agreement adds to a growing demand that power providers across the country boost clean energy production while reducing rates.”

This story was updated to include comment from Anthony.