NJDEP wants to help. Really, they do. Stop snickering.

Do you have a business or facility in New Jersey that is subject to state air quality regulations?

Are you required to make electronic filings to the NJ Department of Environmental Protection?

Would you like to know more about how to get ready for a DEP inspection? Common enforcement findings? How about Supplemental Environmental Projects (SEPs) policy and SEP examples that directly benefit communities and the environment?

Well, you’re in luck. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection is offering a
Free seminar on Thursday, May 10 that is designed to help you with all of the above.

If your facility utilizes Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS), Continuous Opacity Monitoring Systems (COMS) and/or is subject to Stack Testing requirements, you also can benefit from an overview provided by the Bureau of Technical Services.

In addition, updates on new and proposed New Jersey Air Pollution Regulations will be provided by staffers from the DEP’s Bureau of Air Quality Permitting.

Not enough?  OK. Just for you, the seminar will include training on navigating the NJDEP Online web portal and also will  provide a review of electronic submissions of Annual Compliance Certifications, Six Month Deviation Reports and Excess Emission & Monitoring Performance Reports.

And, after all of the above, DEP experts will hang in for a question and answer session. 

Did we mention that all this is FREE?

Oh, so now you’re interested and want to know where it will take place.

Glad you asked.  It all goes down at the:  

HAMILTON TECHNOLOGY CENTER
1200 Negron Drive
Hamilton, NJ 08691  Directions

Need more information?  Check out this web site, or contact your enforcement inspector.

For prospective participants who do not have an assigned inspector, please call:
(973) 656-4444 for Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex,
Union and Warren counties
(609) 292-3187 for Burlington, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean counties, or
(856) 614-3601 for Atlantic, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem counties

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For more valuable educational, networking and social events, visit our Enviro-Events Calendar.

While you’re on the site, use the form to sign up for free email alerts. We’ll notify you whenever the calendar is updated.

Did you find this useful?  Good. Now, do us a favor and tell your friends and colleagues.

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Enviros pushing lawmakers to get NJ back into RGGI

Image credit: Grist

The New Jersey Environmental Federation is calling on its supporters to travel to Trenton tomorrow (March 15) for what they are calling a Clean Energy Lobby Day.

What do they see as the problem?

“It’s
simple: Our clean energy future is at stake. In addition to cutting $700
million in clean energy funds over the last three years, Gov. Christie wants to
pull New Jersey out of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI),
squandering the state’s opportunity for over $680 million in funding for clean
energy over the next 8 years!”

And what is RGGI?  

“RGGI is a successful
energy program among 10 northeast states that reduces carbon emissions from
power plants and stimulates economic growth. It also provides a limited number
of tradeable carbon dioxide (CO2) allowances which the states auction off four
times a year. As of last year, the money raised at these auctions totaled $952
million. The funds are used for consumer programs such as energy assistance for
low income households and energy efficient measures. RGGI also creates jobs in
the clean tech sector, one of the most dynamic segments of our state economy.”

What is their goal?

“To get New Jersey legislators to
support the No Clean Air Rollback bills (S1322/A1998), which would BLOCK Gov.
Christie from abandoning RGGI, and to stop Gov. Christie from taking more of
our clean energy money away.”


New Jersey’s  ’empty seat’ at today’s RGGI auction

By foregoing participation in RGGI, New Jersey lost out on some $10 million today at the RGGI quarterly carbon auction, according to RGGI advocate Matt Elliott of Environment New Jersey.


“New Jersey, once a leader on clean energy solutions, is today a
laggard,” Elliott said. “Governor Christie is letting polluters off the hook
for fouling our air and he’s leaving $10 million in revenue on the table.”

David Pringle of the New Jersey Environmental Federation charged the governor with “failing to both invest in green jobs and
transferring the costs of polluters to the victims of respiratory disease,
taxpayers, and ratepayers.”

NJ Gov. Chris Christie
RGGI showdown votes in both houses tomorrow 

Democratic leaders in both the Senate and Assembly, eager to confront Republican Governor Chris Christie on the RGGI issue, have posted both bills for floor votes tomorrow. 

The state’s largest business organizations oppose the bills, arguing that RGGI drives up the cost of energy for large businesses that already are paying some of the highest energy rates in the country.

Even if both measures pass, the governor is almost guaranteed to veto them and, with Republican legislators generally agreeing with their guy in the front office, a veto override vote is all but guaranteed to fail. 

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NJ energy & environment bills up for vote – Mar 12 2012

Nine pieces of energy and environmental legislation are up for discussion and votes today
in three Assembly committees meeting in Trenton. 
 
Among them are proposals to provide tax credits for electric vehicle charging stations, extend certain development permits for an additional two years, tighten industrial pollution cleanup requirements, take a new look at the state’s Pollution Prevention Act, and expand the definition of “renewable energy.” 
Here’s the lineup: 

ASSEMBLY APPROPRIATIONS
03/12/12 10:00 AM
Committee Room 11, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ


A-566  Wagner, C. (D-38); Coughlin, C.J. (D-19);
Fuentes, A. (D-5)
Provides corporation business tax credit and gross
income tax credits
for purchase and installation of certain electric vehicle
charging stations. 
    
A-638  Rumpf, B.E. (R-9); Conaway, H. (D-7); Gove,
D.C. (R-9)
Establishes Hooked on Fishing-Not on Drugs Program in
DEP and appropriates
$200,000 therefor from Drug Enforcement and Demand
Reduction Fund.
Related Bill: S-176
   
A-1338  Greenwald, L.D. (D-6); DeCroce, A. (R-26);
Green, J. (D-22)
Extends expiration date of certain development permits until December 31, 2014,
rather than December 31, 2012, as
provided in current law.
Related Bill: S-743
   

A-2294  Greenwald, L.D. (D-6); Burzichelli, J.J.
(D-3); Riley, C.M. (D-3)
Requires deposit of property tax refunds for certain
industrial sites under federal
or State orders for remediation with
Commissioner of Environmental Protection
to help ensure compliance.
Related Bill: S-1460
——————————————————————————–   
ASSEMBLY REGULATORY OVERSIGHT AND GAMING
03/12/12 12:00 Noon
Committee Room 14, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-1527  Burzichelli, J.J. (D-3); Quijano, A. (D-20)
Concerns Watershed Property Review Board in DEP.
Related Bill: S-525
     
A-1534  Burzichelli, J.J. (D-3); Quijano, A. (D-20)
Requires DEP to conduct analysis of “Pollution
Prevention Act.”
     
A-2584  Ramos Jr., R.J. (D-33); Caputo, R.R. (D-28);
Amodeo, J.F. (R-2)
Requires DEP to allow for correction of technical and
administrative permit
application violations.
   
———————————————————————————-

ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES
03/12/12 12:00 Noon
Committee Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

A-1383  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17)
Expands
the definition of Class I renewable energy to include in-State biomass
and
other  “alternative sustainable technologies” approved by the
state DEP.
    
A-2314  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Benson, D.R. (D-14)
Requires State to use energy-efficient outdoor lighting
fixtures. The fixtures would
need to comply with design requirements intended to minimize light pollution by
directing the light where needed in facilities like parking lots. 
Related Bill: S-1422

      

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Trying to blow some offshore wind into NJ’s energy sails
Offshore wind blowing into NJ Legislature-March 5 2012

NJ energy & environment bills up for vote – Mar 12 2012 Read More »

Drilling industry paying Penn State to train regulators

Chesapeake Energy drilling site above  Susquehanna River – Patriot News

The natural gas industry has valuable technological knowledge
to share, but should it be entrusted with training Pennsylvania
environmental regulators who oversee drilling operations?

Between 2000 and 2010, industry participants donated more than $3.4 million to influence elected Pennsylvania officials. Now it is paying to train policy makers and regulators who oversee industry operations in the state’s Marcellus Shale region.

The (Harrisburg) Patriot-News reports that ExxonMobil and GE will be investing $1 million each to establish new
training programs at Penn State and two other universities–the University of Texas at Austin and the Colorado School of Mines

A Penn State press release says that the new training programs will “ensure that regulators and policymakers have access to the latest
technological and operational expertise to assist in their oversight of
shale development.” 

Penn State’s Marcellus Center for Outreach and Research
will offer a new “Shale Gas Regulators Training Program” to provide
“best-practices training” to people who oversee the drilling industry.

Is this good news for the environment?

The center’s co-director, Tom Murphy, said in a press release the
program will “offer new regulators the chance to learn the latest
science-based concepts related to geology, petroleum technology and
environmental quality.” 

While acknowledging that the program was sponsored with industry cash,
Murphy insists that the Marcellus Center “is definitely not funded by
industry.” 

What do you think? Use the comment box below.  If one is not visible, activate it by clicking on the tiny ‘comments’ link.
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Enviros say Christie’s giving Highlands exec the shove

Eileen Swan

An environmental group that monitors New Jersey’s Highlands Council claims that Gov. Chris Christie is is trying to push the council’s executive director Eileen Swan out the door in favor of a Morris County freeholder.

Julia Somers, executive director of the Highlands Coalition, says the plan is to put Gene Feyl, a Morris County
freeholder, into Swan’s position.  

Morris County Freeholder Gene Feyl

A press release from the coalition said Feyl “needs one more year to
qualify for a full state pension,” noting the $120,000 per year job with
the council would create “a significant increase in his pension in
addition to the other benefits derived from completing 20 years in the
pension system.”

Asked to respond, Governor Christie’s press secretary Michael Drewniak said “I don’t have any
comment, except to note that the Highlands Coalition’s press release was
hysterical and overwrought.”

The New Jersey Herald has the details in Highlands Coalition says Christie is trying to push out director

Our most recent posts:
NJ energy & environment bills up for vote – Mar 8 2012
In NJ–and abroad–moves to throttle solar energy

Trying to blow some offshore wind into NJ’s energy sails
Offshore wind blowing into NJ Legislature-March 5 2012
RGGI revival legislation clears NJ Senate committee

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NJ energy & environment bills up for vote – Mar 8 2012

Ten pieces of energy and environmental legislation are
up for discussion and votes today in five Senate and 
Assembly committees meeting in Trenton.
 
Here’s the lineup: 

SENATE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY

03/08/12 10:00 AM
Committee Room 10, 3rd Floor State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
S-1085  Smith, B. (D-17); Norcross, D. (D-5)
Establishes forest harvest program on State-owned land.
—————————————————————————————————————–
     
SENATE TRANSPORTATION
03/08/12 10:30 AM
Committee Room 7, 2nd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ


SJR-15  Pennacchio, J. (R-26); Doherty, M.J. (R-23)
Creates “Passenger Rail System Study
Commission.”
    
—————————————————————————————————————–
SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
03/08/12 01:00 PM
Committee Room 4, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
S-743  Sarlo, P.A. (D-36); Oroho, S.V. (R-24)
Extends expiration date of certain permits pursuant to
the “Permit Extension Act of 2008.”
Related Bill: A-1338
    
S-822  Smith, B. (D-17); Bateman, C. (R-16)
Revises “Electronic Waste Management Act.”
Related Bill: A-1459
      
S-1566  Lesniak, R.J. (D-20); Buono, B. (D-18)
Establishes the “New Jersey Residential
Foreclosure Transformation Act”;
provides expedited process for
foreclosing abandoned residential properties.
Related Bill: A-2168
—————————————————————————————————————–
ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT AND SOLID WASTE
03/08/12 02:00 PM
Committee Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

The committee will hear testimony from the Department of Environmental
Protection
and other stakeholders regarding State park services.
A-1151  Lampitt, P.R. (D-6); Vainieri Huttle, V.
(D-37); Chivukula, U.J. (D-17)
Authorizes State and local governments to enter into
group purchasing agreement
for alternative fueled vehicles.
Related Bill: S-371
      
A-1459  Gusciora, R. (D-15); McKeon, J.F. (D-27);
Barnes III, P.J. (D-18)
Revises “Electronic Waste Management Act.”
Related Bill: S-822
     
A-2294  Greenwald, L.D. (D-6); Burzichelli, J.J.
(D-3); Riley, C.M. (D-3)
Requires deposit of property tax refunds for certain
industrial sites under federal
or State orders for remediation with
commissioner of environmental protection
to help ensure compliance.
Related Bill: S-1460
     
A-2395  Coughlin, C.J. (D-19); Coutinho, A. (D-29)
Authorizes zero-interest loans to local governments for
certain brownfield remediations;
changes priorities for financial assistance
from Hazardous Discharge Site Remediation Fund.
Related Bill: S-1246
     
A-2641  Spencer, L.G. (D-29)
Authorizes creation of stormwater utilities for certain
local government entities.
Related Bill: S-1557
     
—————————————————————————————————————–

ASSEMBLY HOMELAND SECURITY AND STATE PREPAREDNESS
03/08/12 02:00 PM
Committee Room 12, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-266  Schroeder, R. (R-39)
Requires identifying emblems on certain structures to
notify firefighters of solar panels;
requires exterior disconnection for solar
panels.
Related Bill: S-507
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For
thorough coverage of environmental news, issues, legislation and
regulation 
in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, try a free, 30-day subscription to our daily
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Our most recent posts:
In NJ–and abroad–moves to throttle solar energy
Trying to blow some offshore wind into NJ’s energy sails
Offshore wind blowing into NJ Legislature-March 5 2012
RGGI revival legislation clears NJ Senate committee
NJ energy & environment bills up for votes today-2/27/12

NJ energy & environment bills up for vote – Mar 8 2012 Read More »