Credit: Slate Magazine

Among those charged were Carmine Franco, 77, of Ramsey, once a major figure in the New Jersey trash hauling business; Anthony Cardinalle, 60, of Saddle River; Peter Leconte, 42, ofLodi; and Frank Oliver, 46, of North Haledon. 

Also charged from New Jersey were Robert Zarzuela, 38, of North Bergen; Jonathan Greene, 47, of Teaneck; Thomas Giordano, 42, of North Arlington; Anthony Pucciarello, 77,Bloomfield, Joseph Bertolino, 46, Wantage; and Brian Petroll, 47, of Columbia.

In all, 32 people were charged in three indictments returned in Manhattan as part of a multi-year investigation spearheaded by the FBI. 

In a statement, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said: “As alleged, organized crime still wraps its tentacles around industries it has fed off for decades, but law enforcement continues to pry loose its grip.” 


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Twin Ridges Wind Farm in Somerset County, Pa

The environmental group, PennFuture, reports (with delight) that two new utility-size wind farms are operating in the Keystone State.

Everpower’s 139.4 MW Twin
Ridges Wind Farm on
Big Savage Ridge in Somerset County started making power on December 21, 2012.
The farm has 68 turbines that make enough electricity to power 33,303 homes
homes each year. This wind farm is also a big plus for the local economy,
delivering up to $223,000 annually, to be shared among the four townships where
the turbines are located, and sending at least $93,000 each year to the Berlin
and Meyersdale School Districts combined. What’s more, Somerset County will get
at least $37,000 per year, and 89 landowners will receive over $1.5 million in
royalty, easement, and other payments. 

The
second Pennsylvania wind farm to start spinning is also the state’s largest —
the 144 MW Mehoopany Wind Farm in
Wyoming County, owned by BP Wind Energy. The $250 million project has 88 wind
turbines, enough to power around 34,402 homes each year. More than 400 people
worked on the project during the peak of construction, and 10 to 15 workers
will 

PennFuture notes that, now with a total of 21 wind farms, Pennsylvania has 1.2 gigawatts of
installed wind capacity that can produce enough electricity to power nearly 300,000 homes
each year.

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Like it?  Buy it!


Do you live in Pennsylvania? Would like to see wind energy continue to grow? PennFuture has a suggestion for you: Buy it! 


If you live in the Duquesne Light territory (Allegheny and Beaver Counties), you can sign up to switch through Community Energy (and they’ll send a donation to PennFuture at no additional cost to you). Residents and businesses in other areas can sign up through Choose PA Wind.

Do you live in a state where you can purchase wind energy?  Have you? Why or why not? Use the comment box below.  If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comments’ line.  Signed comments are preferred but anonymous submissions also are accepted.

Related environmental news stories:
Wind power one of the fastest-growing sources of energy around the world
Wind-turbine test facility readies for second massive concrete pour


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