Geoffrey Goll, President, Princeton Hydro

October 2025 — In an interview with Invest:, Geoffrey Goll, president of Princeton Hydro, discussed the company’s contributions to environmental sustainability, highlighted the firm’s role in urban ecological restoration, and talked about its efforts to address water resource challenges, noting, “we are committed to supporting Trenton’s revitalization and promoting green infrastructure.”

What have been some of the main recent achievements or highlights for Princeton Hydro?

In recent company history, one of the main highlights is that we moved our offices to the city of Trenton. Moving to Trenton has been beneficial and rewarding for several reasons. Firstly, it is centrally located in New Jersey, making it easier to reach clients across the state, as well as in Pennsylvania and other regions. Additionally, we are supporting Trenton’s revitalization efforts, which aim to restore the city to its former glory. The mayor of Trenton, Reed Gusciora, has been a phenomenal supporter of our firm, as he is with all firms looking to relocate to the city, along with our landlords, Hx2 Development and the local business community.

Another significant achievement is our growth as a firm. We now employ 62 people and have been working on notable projects, including ecosystem restoration and flood risk management projects for the United States Army Corps of Engineers. One of our major projects is serving as the lead designer and engineer of record for Liberty State Park in Jersey City, led by the state of NJ. This 215-acre park, once a contaminated site, is being redesigned for both active and passive recreation, including soccer fields, basketball courts, nature walks, and the creation of freshwater and tidal wetlands to enhance resilience and reduce flooding.

We have also expanded our work internationally, collaborating with clients in Portugal on river restoration projects aimed at restoring fish passage and improving migratory fish movement. This has been an exciting opportunity to bring New Jersey’s expertise to a global stage.

What are the trends and challenges in water resources engineering within New Jersey, and how is Princeton Hydro addressing them?

The trends and challenges in water resources engineering in New Jersey are multifaceted. One of the primary challenges is the reliance on federal grants and programs to implement large-scale, necessary projects, the funding of which has become more uncertain due to recent fiscal policies at the national level. While we have not yet seen significant impacts on our business, this remains a concern.

However, New Jersey has its own programs and funding mechanisms, such as the NJDEP Office of Natural Resources Restoration, funded in part by natural resource damages funds from polluters, which are used to restore ecosystems throughout the state. For example, Liberty State Park is funded through these damages rather than federal or taxpayer funds. We have been involved in several projects across the state that utilize these funds to restore rivers, parks, and other natural resources.

In the northwestern part of New Jersey, particularly in Warren and Sussex Counties, we focus on river restoration. Many people think of New Jersey as highly developed, but there are rural areas with significant natural resources, including parks and rivers, that contribute to tourism and quality of life. Our work in these areas helps promote tourism and supports local economies, including wineries and breweries that depend on clean water.

We are also involved in initiatives like the Clean Water is Good for Business initiative by the American Sustainable Business Council and its state-level NGOs, which focuses on the Delaware River Watershed. This project involves collaboration across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Delaware to promote clean water initiatives that benefit businesses, particularly those dependent on high-quality water, such as breweries and wineries. Without high-quality water, these businesses would struggle to thrive.

With the increasing focus on renewable energy and green infrastructure design, how is Princeton Hydro involved in the development of sustainable projects?

We are actively involved in promoting green infrastructure and sustainable development. For example, we partner with organizations like New Jersey Future, a nonprofit that advocates for green stormwater infrastructure and improved quality of life in the state. I have also recently joined the board of the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions, which works with local communities to implement environmental initiatives. These efforts have a significant impact at the local level, which then extends to the broader region.

We support towns across New Jersey in adopting green infrastructure practices, such as green stormwater management systems, which help mitigate flooding and improve water quality. By working with local environmental commissions, we help communities enhance their natural resources and create more sustainable environments.

What role does ecological restoration play in urban planning, and what is its significance for New Jersey’s environmental health?

There are terms like “Urban Ecology” that are becoming increasingly important to incorporate into redevelopment and are a growing focus. For example, The Nature Conservancy has an Urban Cities program. They are working on reforestation, ecological restoration, and resiliency in cities in the face of climate change.

Another NGO, the NJ Conservation Foundation team with the city of Trenton was awarded $1.3M to plant 1,000 trees throughout the city to improve quality of life and reduce the heat island effect in urban areas. We are also looking at potential flooding and sea level rise in urban areas at the shore to address impacts on environmental justice communities. Similarly, if there are dams within or upstream of cities that are no longer functioning, obsolete, or unsafe, removing them helps increase flood resilience.

This is not just about green infrastructure but also about making cities more resilient and livable for their citizens. For example, outside our building, an organization has set up a small weather station to study heat island effects and gather localized weather data. Such data will be used to assist in addressing the heat island effects to improve the quality of life of inner cities.

Our landlord has been kind enough to host this initiative, which will help us better understand these effects in the future. For developers who are looking at revitalization projects in urban areas, it will be important to incorporate sustainable practices in the areas of stormwater management, floodplain management, wastewater reuse, and incorporate ecosystems, which in turn will make the projects more attractive, as well as reduce energy costs and increase the comfort of outdoor spaces. This is one of the directions we are going as a firm.

What is your outlook for Princeton Hydro for the next two to three years and what will your business priorities be during this time frame?

As a firm, we are looking to grow organically. We receive offers from investors interested in purchasing the firm, but we are not ready to do that.  We want to remain a homegrown, grassroots organization based in New Jersey serving the Northeast but expanding our reach to other localities and geographic regions to support clients’ missions who share our values of “improving our ecosystems, quality of life, and communities for the better”. We aim to work on more federal and local government projects to assist the government and developers in incorporating green infrastructure and ecological restoration into their projects.

We believe that urban ecology and development need to go hand in hand. There is a need for more housing, but we also need to ensure that the environment is preserved, as it is vital for people’s well-being.

In terms of the region, I believe New Jersey will continue to thrive. It has a diverse population and expertise that you do not see in many other places. This is why many pharmaceutical, telecom, and other large industries are based here. However, we need to address challenges like taxes, including property and corporate taxes, to continue attracting businesses.

A lesson from Trenton’s history is that it was once a hub for homegrown businesses, like J. A. Roebling and Sons and American Standard, which were internationally known. Unfortunately, many of these businesses left after being acquired by national and international corporations and competition from overseas. We hope to reverse this trend by attracting more home-grown and international businesses to the region, bringing jobs and economic growth. 

Finally, with climate change, it is more important than ever to maintain the quality of our waters for drinking, fishing, tourism, and overall well-being. New Jersey will continue to grow and thrive, but we must ensure that our environment remains a priority.