Who gets what: Jostling starts for NJ open-space funds

[LAST UPDATE: Dec 10 at 1:20 a.m. – six additional audio clips and one news story]
 
Environmental, farming, open space and historic preservation groups locked arms in a unified and successful campaign to convince voters in November to approve the dedication of a portion of New Jersey’s corporate business tax to land preservation, stewardship, recreation and flood property buyouts.

 
Now the same groups are politely elbowing each other for favored position as the Legislature begins to deliberate how to distribute the $71 million that will start in 2016 and grow to $117 million in 2016.
 
In the first round of what will be a year-long negotiation, the Senate Environment and Energy Committee yesterday heard from a number of the organizations.
 
Listen below to portions of the the testimony from nine of them.
You can follow the entire committee hearing online here.

Who gets what: Jostling starts for NJ open-space funds Read More »

Cargo volume sets all-time record at Port of NY and NJ


New Jersey Business reports today that the Port of New York and New Jersey set an all-time record for monthly cargo volume in October, keeping the port on pace for a record breaking year in 2014.
“During October, the port handled 306,805 shipping containers, surpassing the previous monthly record of 306,051 containers handled in August 2013.  The increase was driven by a hike in import loaded containers, up 1 percent over the previous best month on record.
“Cargo shipped on the port’s ExpressRail system also continued to grow, with 42,950 containers transported on rail, up 14.2 percent over October 2013.  More than 14 percent of the total port traffic is now transported by rail.”

Cargo volume sets all-time record at Port of NY and NJ Read More »

Here’s your free copy of EnviroPolitics–And 30 more?

Check out this complementary issue and see for yourself why the newsletter
has become a “must-read” for so many in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.
  



(Page 1 of 2 pages daily)



**Who reads EnviroPolitics? 
  
Leading environmental attorneys, engineers, consultants, government officials, trade association executives and others whose businesses, associations and facilities are affected by environmental issues–and the politics that drives them.
 
You are entitled to receive and profit from this daily newsletter for a full month without charge. At the end of the period, you will be askedif you would like to continue your subscription.
 
You will not be billed a penny for the issues you receive during your trial.

And your subscription will not be automatically extended.
 
This is one offer that truly is free and without a catch. 
 
Why do we do it? Because we know that most of those who read EnviroPolitics for 30 days are eager to sign up for a full subscription. Moreover, an astounding 90% of all our readers renew annually.
 
To start your no-obligation, 30-day trial, click here.

We hope you enjoy and profit from EnviroPolitics.

Your comments and suggestions are encouraged and appreciated.
 
(Reminder:  Click here to immediately open your free issue) 

Frank Brill Editor,
EnviroPolitics

Phone/Fax: 215-295-9339 
Editor@EnviroPolitics.com
 
**To be more specific, our subscribers include environmental attorneys at such firms as:

Babst Calland Clements; Drinker Biddle & Reath; Gibbons, P.C., Giordano, Halleran
& Ciesla; KL Gates; Manko, Gold; Norris McLaughlin & Marcus; Porzio Bromberg &
Newman; Reed Smith; Riker Danzig; Saul Ewing; Wolff Samson and Schnader Harrison.

Consulting-firm subscribers include AECOM, Brown and Caldwell; Creamer Environmental;
Cummings & Smith; Envision Environmental, Geosyntec Consultants, The ELM Group;
Langan Engineering, Omni Environmental, Sadat Associates and many more.

We’re also read every day by top officials at the EPA, the NJ-DEP and at a
host of energy firms, development companies, manufacturers, planners, county
and municipal utilities, and such trade associations as the NJ Petroleum
Council, Chemistry Council of NJ and the Commerce and Industry Assoc. of NJ.
 

We could go on and on…but, by now, you’ve got the idea. We’re read by people
who recognize that information is essential to their success. But don’t take our
word for it–or theirs–try the newsletter for a month. You’ve got nothing to lose
but so much to gain.   
 
Thanks for your time and enjoy the attached sample newsletter!
 

Here’s your free copy of EnviroPolitics–And 30 more? Read More »

Fenimore Landfill neighbors welcome smell of Christmas

Residents of Roxbury, NJ may enjoy
the smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire this Christmas without the
competing odor of garbage rotting in an uncapped landfill.

The state Department of Environmental Protection’s work to squelch the stench that had residents gagging appears to be working, as NJTV News’ Briana Vannozzi reports  in the video above and in Capping
Underway at Contaminated Fenimore Landfill

Meanwhile, the finger pointing as to who
is responsible–the state (which allowed the formerly closed landfill to
re-open) or landfill owner Richard Bernardi–apparently is heading toward the
latest legal showdown. Bernardi claims that the Attorney General’s office has launched
an criminal investigation into his operations. Is NJ looking to run landfill
owner out of bullets? 


Fenimore Landfill neighbors welcome smell of Christmas Read More »

Is NJ looking to run landfill owner out of bullets?

Fenimore Landfill owner Richard Bernardi

"That’s how the government plays. You’re guilty until you’re proven innocent. They run you out of bullets until you have nothing left." That was Richard Bernardi’s assessment of his latest legal skirmish with the state over his ownership and management of the notorious Fenimore Landfill in Roxbury, NJ. Bernardi told reporter Louis C. Hockman of NJ Advance Media that he is aware of a criminal investigation into his activities at the site.

 "They’re telegraphing their moves now," he said. 

Earlier this month, an appellate court rescinded the emergency order used to shut down the landfill on June 26, 2013 under the Legacy Landfill Law that Gov. Chris Christie signed the same day. The court said the state Department of Environmental Protection’s commissioner improperly relied on gas readings taken weeks before the law went into effect, and said Bernardi’s company had a right to fight an emergency action in court.

Bernardi said that decision was clearly coming after his attorney and the state Attorney General’s Office argued the matter in court Sept. 8.

The next day, he said, the state issued a subpoena seeking his financial records. That subpoena was eventually given to his accountant as part of a criminal investigation, collecting evidence to be presented to a grand jury.

Is NJ looking to run landfill owner out of bullets? Read More »