EnviroPolitics Blog

Two GOP lawmakers seen as favorites to be next U.S. Attorney in NJ

Republican State Sens. Mike Testa and Doug Steinhart are both Trump loyalists

By David Cruz, NJ Spotlight News

For such an important position, getting picked as the U.S. attorney for the District of New Jersey is a lot more about whom you know than what you know, and the closer you are to the president-elect’s inner circle, the better your chances are.

That could explain why the two names most frequently mentioned to succeed outgoing U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger are Republican state Sens. Mike Testa and Doug Steinhart, both allies of President-elect Trump.

“They are both loyalists to Trump and will be very close to the Trump administration,” said Micah Rasmussen, director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics.

“You’re talking about people who have both been his campaign chair in New Jersey, so as close as anybody has been to him. On the other hand, they are both politicians who are well regarded by Democrats as well.”

What is the significance of the appointment?

Read the full story here

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Enormous sinkhole swallows portion of highway I-80 in NJ

Can you imagine speeding along when this happened?

Part of Interstate 80 remained closed in New Jersey on Thursday, December 26 2024, after a sinkhole opened up on the shoulder of the roadway. Fortunately, no one was hurt.

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Bill establishing Chesapeake National Recreation Area fails

*The two, four-mile spans of the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge cross the Chesapeake Bay between Sandy Point State Park and Kent Island.*

By Christine Condon, Baltimore Sun

After passing the U.S. Senate, a bill that would have established the Chesapeake National Recreation Area fell short in the 118th Congress. But advocates are hoping to ride the momentum into next year.

The bill would have linked natural and historical sites in the Chesapeake Bay watershed under the banner of the National Park Service, including several sites in the Annapolis area.

“We’re closer than ever to elevating the Chesapeake Bay to iconic American landscapes like Yellowstone, Yosemite, the Great Smoky Mountains and the Grand Tetons,” wrote Joel Dunn, outgoing president and CEO of the Chesapeake Conservancy, in a statement. “As advocates look to the next Congress, this momentum has brought together a bipartisan coalition of elected officials, local communities, national and regional advocates with a shared goal.”

On Dec. 18, the bill received unanimous support on the floor of the U.S. Senate, but the House of Representatives did not vote on the bill before leaving Washington for the holidays.

Read the full story here

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Greek shipping companies admit dumping oily waste at N.J. port in Sewaren, face $3.4M fine

By Jackie Roman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Two Greek shipping companies have pleaded guilty to federal charges of falsifying records and obstruction of justice, agreeing to a $3.4 million fine for concealing the illegal dumping of oily waste off the coast of New Jersey.

Avin International and Kriti Ruby Special Maritime Enterprises pleaded guilty in Newark federal court on Monday to violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey.

Between May and September 2022, the Motor Tanker Kriti Ruby vessel was owned by Avin International and operated by Kriti Ruby Special Maritime Enterprises. The oil tanker transported petroleum products between the United States, Europe, and Africa. During this time, the ship stopped at a port in Jacksonville, Florida, and at a petroleum terminal in the Sewaren section of Woodbridge.

Read the full story here

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With big bad woof Trump at the door, they’re ducking offshore wind

Editor’s Note: New England is taking itself out of the offshore wind energy game with avowed enemy about to take power. See stories below

Connecticut Takes a Pass on Offshore Wind in Latest Auction

By Adnan Memija | Offshorewindbiz

In its latest renewable energy procurement round, the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) selected projects totalling 518 MW of new solar generation and 200 MW of new electric storage capacity.

However, DEEP closed its solicitation for offshore wind resources without selecting any bids.

Its neighbouring states, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, contracted 2,878 MW of capacity across three different projects in a multi-state coordinated offshore wind solicitation in September.

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“While DEEP did not select an offshore wind project in the multi-state RFP, we applaud the offshore wind selections made by Massachusetts and Rhode Island earlier this year. Connecticut remains committed to offshore wind, a critical source of energy supply that is helping to reduce emissions, improve grid reliability, bolster our energy supply, and support economic development in our state and region,” said DEEP.

Read the full story here

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German pharmtech company to open headquarters in Bethlehem Pa

119 Technology Drive in Bethlehem, seen in April 2023, will become the U.S. headquarters of German pharmaceutical technology company GfM Bremen. (Rick Kintzel/The Morning Call)

By Evan Jones | ejones@mcall.com | The Morning Call

A south Bethlehem industrial building that had an uncertain future has been sold to a German pharmaceutical technology company.

GfM Bremen, which specializes in the micronization process for the pharmaceutical industry, bought the former IQE Building at 119 Technology Drive for $5.52 million, commercial real estate company NAI Summit said Monday. The building will be the company’s U.S. headquarters and operations center.

The building features 32 clean rooms, warehouse space, office area, a machine shop and generator backups — amenities highly sought after by life sciences companies. IQE, a semiconductor manufacturing company, moved its Bethlehem operations to Greensboro, North Carolina, in 2023 as part of its global consolidation strategy.

“It’s a very, very strategic space with clean rooms and space that’s already permitted for advanced manufacturing, either hardware technology or life sciences,” said Don Cunningham, president and CEO of Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.

Cunningham said LVEDC worked with GfM to bring the company to the Valley. The company, which is headquartered in Bremen, Germany, was founded in 1985 and is a second-generation family business.

The company specializes in grinding down particles used in pharmaceuticals, as well as foods and cosmetics.

Read the full story here

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