The environment in NJ? This guy’s seen and done it all

In the newest episode of EnviroPolitics Podcast…


Michael Catania

….we interview Michael Catania who has played a major role for three decades in New Jersey in the areas of environmental legislation, regulation and conservation.

We discuss major environmental laws, like the Pinelands Act, that Michael helped to draft when he worked for the Office of Legislative Services.

Michael also talks about his time at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, his leadership in a number of conservation organizations and projects, and his exciting new challenge as executive director at Duke Farms.


Michael has been a participant in and witness to much of the progress of the environmental movement as we know it in New Jersey. Is he discouraged by current events? Listen and learn. We think you’ll really like this episode and you may learn a good deal, too.


Click here to launch the 28-minute audio episode  


Our most recent posts: 
House-elevation, other Sandy bills, advance in NJ Senate
Pa parks official to lead environment group, PennFuture
EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list
PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed
Is Rebuilding the Coast Doomed to Failure?




The environment in NJ? This guy’s seen and done it all Read More »

Later today…An interview with Michael Catania


Michael Catania has played a major role for more than two decades in environmental legislation, regulation and conservation in New Jersey.

We interview Michael in our newest podcast episode that will be available this afternoon.

[UPDATED AT 6 P.M.:  The episode  is now available on our podcast website. Or you can launch the 28- minute audio by clicking here]

We’ll discuss major environmental laws, like the Pinelands Act, that he helped draft when he worked for the Office of Legislative Services, his time at the NJ Department of Environmental Protection, his recent leadership in conservation projects, and Michael’s newest challenge at Duke Farms. We think you’ll like it.

Have no idea of what a podcast is? Think of it as a radio show on the Internet.

Check out our previous episodes on iTunes or on our EnviroPolitics Podcast website  


Our most recent posts: 
House-elevation, other Sandy bills, advance in NJ Senate
Pa parks official to lead environment group, PennFuture
EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list
PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed
Is Rebuilding the Coast Doomed to Failure?

Later today…An interview with Michael Catania Read More »

House-elevation, other Sandy bills, advance in NJ Senate


Recognizing
that many homes will need to be raised higher along the coast to protect
against losses in future storms like Hurricane Sandy, the New Jersey State
Legislature’s Senate Environment and Energy Committee today released a bill
that imposes new requirements on contractors offering home elevation services.
S-2976, was one of several bills released by the committee this
morning in Trenton. Committee chairman Bob Smith said that all of the bills
address needs identified during a series of public hearings that focused on the state’s response to Sandy recovery efforts. Smith said that more
Sandy-inspired bills will be taken up at future committee meetings.
At the hearing held in Atlantic City, an industry representative warned that the demand for home elevations after Sandy might attract inexperienced contractors who use equipment that raises the risk of accidents.


The home-raising legislation released today would require contractors to
use unified jacking machine for any home
elevation and mandates that the contractor have at least two years of experience in the using the
machine. The bill also requires home-elevation contractors to carry liability
insurance in a minimum amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence plus an additional
$500,000 in insurance to cover the contents of the premises for any potential
peril not covered in the homeowner’s insurance policy. The Division of Consumer
Affairs would be required to promulgate rules and regulations for enforcement.
Other Sandy-related bills
released by the committee today:
S-2632 (Smith/Greenstein) Provides
low-interest financing to homeowners who want to undertake construction
projects to make their homes more storm and hurricane resistant.
The legislation authorizes municipalities to offer the loans and to collect
repayments via quarterly tax assessments over 10 years. 
SR 125 (Smith/Bateman)
Urges Congress to exempt from early withdrawal penalties, money taken from an
individual’s 401K retirement plan for Sandy rebuilding purposes.   

A-1588 (Benson/Reilly) and S-2081 (Singer/Greenstein)
Establish standards concerning exposure to and the abatement of mold hazards in
residential buildings, and also creates programs to certify mold inspectors and
mold hazard abatement workers.



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Our daily newsletter also tracks NJ & PA legislation—from introduction to enactment 

Our most recent posts: 
Pa parks official to lead environment group, PennFuture
EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list
PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed
Is Rebuilding the Coast Doomed to Failure?
New Jersey law firm opens Trenton lobbying office 

House-elevation, other Sandy bills, advance in NJ Senate Read More »

Pa parks official to lead environment group, PennFuture

Following a four-month national search, the Pennsylvania environmental advocacy organization, PennFuture, today announced
the appointment of Cindy Adams Dunn as
president and CEO.

Dunn was deputy secretary for conservation and technical services with Pennsylvania’s Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR).

“We’re delighted to have Cindy with us as she is eminently qualified to lead the organization’s work tackling air, land and water issues throughout the Commonwealth,” said David Lane, chair of PennFuture’s board of directors. “Her skills as a manager combined with passion for the environment will prove invaluable as we continue to address climate change and promote a clean energy economy. The board is confident she’s the right fit.”

Dunn previously served as director of DCNR’s Bureau of Recreation and Conservation and is a past executive director of Audubon Pennsylvania. She also worked at the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay for 10 years.

The Pennsylvania native and graduate of Shippensburg College was described by PennFuture as an “avid outdoorswoman, regularly hiking the Appalachian Trail and fishing the Susquehanna River.”

For more information like this, try a FREE, 30-day subscription to EnviroPolitics.  
Our daily newsletter also tracks NJ & PA legislation—from introduction to enactment 

Our most recent posts: 
EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list
PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed
Is Rebuilding the Coast Doomed to Failure?
New Jersey law firm opens Trenton lobbying office 

Pa parks official to lead environment group, PennFuture Read More »

EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list

Now that a cleanup of contaminated ground water and creek sediment has eliminated threats to public health and the environment, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing to delete the Hooker-Hyde Park Landfill Superfund site in Niagara Falls, New York from the Superfund National Priorities List.

In a news release, the EPA says that the 15-acre site was used from 1953 to 1975 to dispose of approximately 80,000 tons of chemical waste, including dioxin.  Site fact sheet

“The underlying ground water is contaminated with volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds, which can cause serious harm to people’s health. This ground water has been treated to reduce contamination and is not used for drinking water. Bloody Run Creek sediment and Niagara Gorge Face surface water were also contaminated with volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds and have been cleaned up. “

Occidental Chemical Corporation, the company responsible for the contamination, conduced the cleanup work with EPA oversight.

More details here

For more information like this, try a FREE, 30-day subscription to EnviroPolitics.  
Our daily newsletter also tracks NJ & PA legislation—from introduction to enactment 

Our most recent posts: 
PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed
Is Rebuilding the Coast Doomed to Failure?
New Jersey law firm opens Trenton lobbying office 

EPA to delete Niagara Falls landfill from Superfund list Read More »

PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed

                                                                        Science Daily 


“Green energy is getting a bit of a tail wind now that a major grid operator is saying that the power source can provide clean power without jeopardizing reliability. Critics, though, immediately pounced on the study, saying that it was performed by GE Energy Consulting, whose parent has high stakes in wind production.” 

Writing in EnergyBiz, Editor Ken Silverstein continues:

“Specifically, the PJM Interconnection that operates the transmission network over a 13-state region primarily in the eastern United States says that if 20 percent of the area’s electricity came from wind or solar then it would cut energy prices by $9 billion. And, if 30 percent came from those same fuels, it would reduce those costs by $13 billion and that it would not have any affect on grid reliability. 

“Meantime, under the 20 percent scenario, carbon dioxide releases are cut by 18 percent while under the 30 percent case study, those emissions are reduced by 29 percent. The study also said that investments would need to be made in the transmission system: If the region obtained 20 percent of its energy from wind and solar then 820 miles of wire would have to be installed for around $3.8 billion. If 30 percent then as much as 2,946 miles of new transmission would need to strung for as much as $14 billion. 

“However, “Expansion from 20 percent to 30 percent does not appear to be economically attractive,” says GE’s findings. 

“Skeptics of green power remain dubious given that wind and solar are intermittent sources. That makes it difficult for the “traffic cops” to schedule those fuels so that the electricity keeps flowing. Those grid managers’ task is to maintain reliability with the lowest-priced fuels.”‘





PJM study boosts green power; critics unimpressed Read More »