How offshore wind won in Delaware

Two developers hoping to build off-shore, wind-energy projects.
Both seeking public acceptance and local government approval.
In two different states–Massachusetts and Delaware.

Today, Delaware’s project is moving toward construction.
Massachusetts’ project–dead in the water for years–is only now inching forward.

The difference between the two?

Willett Kempton, an associate professor at the University of Delaware, says Bluewater Wind was successful in getting public opinion on its side because of the argument it used to illustrate the value of its energy-generating technology.

Kempton told an audience last week at an American Wind Energy Association conference that the Massachusetts project got bogged down by the argument that offshore turbines would ruin the view of Cape Cod residents and vacationers.

In Delaware, he said, Bluewater Wind summed up its approach to energy production as “wind versus coal.”

And, therein, lies a valuable lesson for developers, lobbyists and public relations practitioners. To win: Frame your argument carefully.

Aaron Nathans provides the interesting details in a report today in the (Wilmington) News-Journal.

Related:
Utility bets on offshore turbines
Plan Advances to Build Wind Farm Off New York
Maryland picks NRG Bluewater to supply wind power
NRG of Princeton to supply energy to Maryland
Delaware: First to sign and the first to spin?
Will NRG save Bluewater’s wind projects?
Offshore Rhode Island wind power at a dead calm

Our most recent posts:
Delaware River dredging plot line murkier still
New Jersey’s 2009 environmental achievers
Attend this green conference without leaving the office
New Jersey’s late season crop of green legislation
New Jersey enviro-on-the-lam jailed in China

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Delaware River dredging plot line murkier still

[Updated Dec 9 2009 to add related news stories]
Today, the latest and most astounding plot twist of all in the now multi-seasoned, New Jersey vs. Pennsylvania Delaware Dredging mini series.

But first, a quick recap.

You’ll remember that, in the opening episode of Season 1, the media informed us that evil corporate and labor forces, joined by powerful Pennsylvania politicians, were out to destroy the fragile, interlinking ecosystems of the Delaware River and Delaware Bay by lowering the river by five feet so that modern supertankers could call on the Port of Philadelphia.

In subsequent episodes, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers emerges as the mercenary organization entrusted with the job of cooking the enviro-studies to justify the mission and seeing that the gook scraped from the bottom all got dumped (hell, why not) in New Jersey.

By the end of the first season, a motley mob of South Jersey residents, fired up by the usual cast of enviro-doomsayers are howling. Spare us, they cry.

Season Two: South Jersey congressional leaders make angry noises and threaten to threaten and threaten and threaten again again until Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell withdraws his support for the project–or the newspapers stop running their press releases. Rendell smiles.

Then the enviros paint verbal pictures of sludge piles ruining New Jersey’s pristine river coast line. Rendell smiles.

Then the Army Corps starts issuing implementation schedules. South Jersey residents despair. We’ve been screwed again, they wail, and this time not by North Jersey.

Suddenly, on a white steed with a tiny G-S brand partially obscured by the saddle, a hero gallops into town. It’s New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine. He draws a line in water with his lancet.

Not on my watch, Fast Eddie, he growls. The scene (and season) fade to black, as we imagine Rendell skulking away in the shadows of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

Time passes. Summer reruns and new show trials intervene. Then our soap returns, promising all new episodes.

Season Three. Rendell has dispatched envoys to explore peace talks. Secret negotiations take place. Details, are sketchy. Then a writers strike. Few new episodes follow. Reporters try to refresh the story but only tell us that something’s going on…but the details are sketchy.

Finally, in a triumphant season-closer, Corzine and Rendell emerge, arm in arm. It was all a misunderstanding, they say through clenched smiles. New Jersey won’t try to stop the project and Pennsylvania will truck all the muck to abandoned coal mine shafts which are already pretty screwed up anyway.

Ahem, the enviros say. What about the looming environmental catastrophe?

Ah, we’ll get back to you on that, say the reunited Democratic brothers. But take heart (wink, wink). This is Rendell-Corzine, not Bush-Cheney.

So that’s it, right? Time to close down the series or maybe morph it into a reality show? America’s Dirtiest River Jobs, perhaps? Not hardly.

Current Season. In the opening episode, the state of Delaware was going to court to block the project. Governor Corzine, then in the midst of his re-election campaign and getting hammered daily by a major enviro mouthpiece, tells his Attorney General: For god’s sake, join the suit. I’m getting killed here.

And then today, the absolute topper. The Philadelphia Inquirer discloses the latest and most dramatic Delaware dredging plot twist–one guaranteed to extend the series into another season.

It turns out, the gunk isn’t headed down a mine shaft after all. It’s apparently getting dumped in the Garden State.

Incredible? Amazing? Maybe, but we’ve had a sneaky suspicion about this one all along.

What’s the explanation? Well, the details continue to be, ah, sketchy. But Inquirer writer Jan Hefler does a good job today of exposing some of the behind-the-scenes machinations.


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New Jersey’s 2009 environmental achievers

New Jersey Meadowlands photo by shutterbugMike

It was good to see the outstanding environmental achievements of numerous individuals, companies, organizations and government units recognized by New Jersey’s governor on Thursday night.

Among the winners of the 2009 Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards were our friends Michael Catania and his colleagues at Conservation Resources Inc in Chester who have devised numerous creative methods to match tiny-to-large conservation projects all over the state with available funding sources.

And there’s the New Jersey Audubon Society which was recognized for its many years of work in protecting and restoring endangered Delaware Bay ecosystems, home to many lifeforms, including the energizer bunny of the bird world, the famed but imperiled red knot.

Someone should immediately nominate the Audubon folks for the same award next year in recognition of their leadership in the second half of 2009 when the state’s open space and farmland preservation program ran out of money and chances of winning voter support for new borrowing via a November ballot question appeared dim at best.

Undaunted, the Audubon Society rallied hundreds of environmental and conservation organizations and local governments behind a NJ Keep it Green campaign which convinced voters to approve $400 million in new funding.

This year’s winners included some big names, like Hoffman LaRoche and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. And some lesser-known folks, like Dr. John Kirk of the New Jersey School of Conservation at Montclair State University, who developed a multi-disciplinary approach for teaching environmental education around the world…

… and Clem Fiori, and artist and photographer, who helped secure federal funding which led to the planting of more than a thousand trees on a network of open spaces in his hometown of Montgomery Township, Somerset County.

Maybe the most timely recognition of all was that given to the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association which is celebrating its 60th year of protecting and enhancing the waterways of central New Jersey through conservation, advocacy, science and education.

The annual awards program is coordinated by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and is sponsored by sponsored by the New Jersey Corporation for Advanced Technology and the New Jersey State League of Municipalities. A panel of judges evaluates nominees based on innovation and the long-term benefits the work has achieved.

You can read about all the 2009 award winners here, and about last year’s winners here.

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Attend this NJ green building conference without leaving the office

You suspect there may be valuable things to see and learn at the Jan. 12-14 New Jersey Builders Association’s Green Build Event and Expo but you don’t know how you’d possibly find that time and to travel to and tour the event.

Fortunately, you won’t need to. The only travel involved is the distance to your computer and you can budget the time whenever you find some. That’s because this three-day event, featuring educational tracks, an exhibit hall, and keynote presentations is all online.

Yes, it’s a ‘virtual trade show’ you can attend via your computer. No travel, parking, lines, or aggressive salespeople. You can cruise this one in your pajamas if you like (no one will know).

Still, event promoters promise you’ll gain access to:

“leading experts in residential construction, commercial and industrial development, remodeling and redevelopment, governmental policy, and marketing who will present informative and educational seminars throughout the three-day conference” PLUS…

“…a virtual exhibit hall will feature the latest products and services pertaining to green building, so that all participants can maximize their investment of time and resources,”

For more, visit our Enviro-Events Calendar, where you’ll also learn about other New Jersey and Pennsylvania environmental events, like these:

December 8
Site Remediation Reform Act and LSRP Program: A Revolutionary New Way of Doing Business in New Jersey 8:30 to 4:30, Newark, NJ. This one-day program is designed to familiarize practitioners and those associated with site remediation with the Site Remediation Reform Act and the new way of doing remedial business in the Garden State. The newly adopted regulations will be discussed in depth by the NJDEP officials who developed the rules. Presented by NJDEP, Rutgers University Office of Continuing Professional Education, and the Licensed Site Remediation Professional Association Information & Registration

December 8
The Economy and Government Policy: What’s in Store for New Jersey? 7:45 a.m. – 2 p.m., Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, Route 1 South, Iselin, NJ. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) has convened many of the State’s top political and business leaders for a day of lively discussion about the many challenges facing New Jersey today and in the future. Invited keynote speakers include Governor Jon Corzine and US Senator Robert Menendez. Network with many of New Jersey’s most influential business executives. Top legislative leaders, seasoned political observers and experts on the economy will tell you what to expect in 2010. At this networking event of the year, hear from: Governor Jon Corzine, US Senator Robert Menendez, NJ’s top legislative leaders, political experts on the recent elections and experts on the economy. Cost: $175 per person for NJBIA members and $250 for nonmembers (includes breakfast and lunch). Register online now or for more information, contact Katie Wittkamp at 609-393-7707, ext. 239. To become a sponsor, contact Sherry Esteves at 609-393-7707, ext. 219.

December 17
Free Penn State Marcellus Shale Webinar: Legislation and Litigation: A Year in Review 1 p.m. Presenter: Ross Pifer, director of the Agricultural Law Resource and Reference Center, Penn State Dickinson School of Law. Information about how to register for the free webinars is available online. Online participants will have the opportunity to ask the speaker questions during the webinar. For more information, visit Penn State’s Natural Gas Impacts webpage or contact Joann Kowalski, extension educator in Susquehanna County, at 570- 278-1158 or by sending email to: jmk20@psu.edu.

December 19
Winter Waterfowl and Birds of Prey 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine, Duke Farms, Hillsborough, NJ. The lakes, fields, and forests of Duke Farms attract a host of ducks, geese, hawks and even eagles. This birding experience is designed for beginning and intermediate birders. No bird-watching experience is necessary. Led by naturalists from New Jersey Audubon, this tour of Duke Farms will focus on the ways to identify these seasonal visitors to central New Jersey. Cost: $15 per person. Space is limited and advance registration is required at http://www.dukefarms.org/ or by calling (908) 722-3700. Duke Farms is located at 80 Route 206 South in Hillsborough, approximately 2 miles south of the Somerville traffic circle, enter via Dukes Parkway East.

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These are just a few of the many great seminars, forums and other educational and networking opportunities on our Envio-Events Calendar.
Get on our list and receive f*ree email updates when new items are added. Just type the word ‘events’ in the subject line of an email and send it to: enviro-calendar@aweber.com Then watch your email for a one-step confirmation.

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NJ’s late season crop of green legislation


Returning to Trenton from a prolonged vacation that began before July 4 and extended through the November 4 election, state lawmakers have already introduced a truckload of new environmental legislation–much of it addressing the hot areas of energy conservation and alternative energy production.

Although few of the bills have a chance to be enacted during the remaining weeks of the current lame duck session, they’ll all be ready for consideration when the Senate and Assembly reconvene for a new two-year session in early January.

Here are just a few of the more than 50 new green bills introduced since November 23:

A-4179 Milam, M.W. (D-1); Albano, N.T. (D-1) Allows construction of wind dependent energy facilities within 500 feet of mean high water line of tidal waters under certain circumstances.
[Translation: on boardwalk piers]

A-4181 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Requires energy monitoring systems to be installed in new commercial buildings; allows credit against corporation business tax and gross income tax for costs of purchasing and installing energy monitoring systems.

A-4182 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Permits developer to qualify for low interest loan from NJEDA when building new green housing.

A-4184 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Authorizes county colleges and county vocational school districts to establish green job certification programs.

A-4185 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Creates a green building competition.

A-4186 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Provides gross income tax exclusion for income earned by completing qualified energy efficient and renewable energy job training.

A-4193 Burzichelli, J.J. (D-3) Establishes standards for fertilizer application to turfgrass systems.

A-4195 Coyle, D.M. (R-16) Establishes six-month paid green internship program in Department of Community Affairs.

A-4235 Vainieri Huttle, V. (D-37) Allows independent institutions of higher education to be eligible for NJ alternative fuel vehicle rebate and alternative fuel infrastructure programs.

A-4238 Wagner, C. (D-38) “Plastic Carryout Bag Reduction Act.”

S-3004 Sarlo, P.A. (D-36) Changes the scope of public notification regarding contaminated site remediation.

S-3013 Singer, R.W. (R-30) Requires State entities to purchase biofuels in place of fossil fuels when it is reasonable, prudent and cost effective to do so.

S-3022 Smith, B. (D-17) Requires EDA to establish a “High Performance Green Building Demonstration Project.”

S-3039 Smith, B. (D-17) Requires eligible applicants for innocent party grants from “Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund” to own subject property through application process.

S-3041 Smith, B. (D-17) Imposes certain conditions on NJPDES permit for energy generation facilities that withdraw water from, or discharge water to, a shallow lagoonal estuary

S-3105 Van Drew, J. (D-1) Requires BPU to provide same financial incentives for purchase and installation of wind technologies as for solar technologies.

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We also provide our readers with the most up-to-date environmental and political news stories, environmental regulations, environmental business updates and a calendar of environmental events. See for yourself.

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New Jersey enviro-on-the-lam jailed in China


Justin Franchi Solondz, a 30-year-old native of Randolph, NJ, who has been running from the FBI for eight years after allegedly participating in the destruction of a horticulture center at the University of Washington, was convicted on Friday of drug charges and sentenced to three years in prison in Dali, China.

When his sentence is complete, he’ll be deported to the United States to face eco-terrorism charges.

The FBI says Solondz made incendiary devices that destroyed a horticulture center at the University of Washington in Seattle in May 2001. Prosecutors also accuse him of burning down buildings and vehicles in Oregon that same day, and linked him to a later arson attack in California. The combined property loss was more than $5 million.
Related:



Our most recent posts:

New Jersey boosts solar energy, green building
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