Its founding mandates were to protect the delicate balance of nature, provide for orderly development, and manage solid waste activities in the New Jersey Meadowlands District.

Through cooperation with environmentalists, businesses, mayors, state and federal agencies, the NJMC authored a new Master Plan for the Meadowlands District in 2004 to target development to brownfield and greyfield sites, revitalizing formerly blighted areas into places of economic and community growth and preserving 8,400 acres (34 km2) of wetlands and open space.

Following the Master Plan's adoption,[11] the NJMC focused its goals into four policy areas: improving environmental stewardship, fostering economic success with an eye on business growth, aiding municipalities, and expanding special services, educational and cultural programs.

to the Meadowlands District by the year 2020,[15] the establishment of green building guidelines to encourage environmentally friendly development, endorsement of the Kyoto Protocol to lower greenhouse gas emissions, and the release of "Birding and Wildlife Trails: Meadowlands and More," a free, 72-page color guide encouraging visitors to enjoy eco-tourism activities in the region including birding, catch-and-release fishing, hiking, canoeing, and pontoon boat cruises offered in the summer.

The agency has established a municipal equipment pool, offered financial and technical assistance with New Jersey Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) planning, and allocated $1 million to investigate additional shared services programs.

Two hundred and sixty five species of birds including great and snowy egrets, tree swallow, peregrine falcon, osprey, black-crowned night heron, ruddy duck, red-tailed hawk, double-crested cormorant, and American bald eagle[21] have been spotted in the Meadowlands.