EnviroPolitics Blog

Howls grow over coyote in Princeton

Yes, you read it right…in Princeton!

New Jersey, the most densely populated (with humans) state in the nation, is now home to more than 3,000 coyotes, according to the state Division of Fish and Wildlife.

One of them has taken up residence in Battlefield State Park, not far from the Ivy League university itself. Several dog walkers there have reported run-ins with the coyote and labeled its behavior as “aggressive.”

In the town that keeps “Hold that tiger” on the pop charts, a hold has been put on the coyote’s capture. Officials fear the repercussions from animal lovers if the coyote is killed.

Maybe Princeton should negotiate a ‘relocation’ with the San Antonio Spurs. A little shot of ‘aggression’ sure couldn’t hurt their mascot.

Howls grow over coyote in Princeton Read More »

A big energy battle coming to a vote in PA

A keystone measure in Governor Ed Rendell’s Energy Independence Strategy is HB 1201, which would mandate greater use of alternative energy sources, require the installation of advance electricity meters in homes to encourage conservation during peak-load periods, and create an $850M bond fund. Money from this, so-called “Energy Independence Fund” would: – pay rebates to consumers who replace inefficient electrical appliances- provide grants and loans for the expansion of alternative energy companies, and – provide development and equipment costs to attract new alternative energy investments The environmental organization, PennFUTURE, supports the legislation. The Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry opposes.

They don’t differ over the environmental benefits of Rendell’s program. This time it’s strictly economics.

PennFUTURE’s President and CEO John Hanger, in testimony before a state House committee, warns that Pennsylvania “will lose billions of dollars of investment and tens of thousands of jobs unless House Bill 1201 is passed.” He notes that neighboring New Jersey and New York “are making substantial investments” to attract developers of developing technologies like wind power and bio-diesel.

Leskey Smith, who is director of communications for the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, argues in yesterday’s Patriot-News that “borrowing close to $1 billion to be repaid over the next three decades is not the answer” and questions the need to “subsidize companies that already have been guaranteed a market.”

Care to share your own point of view? Click the “comments” link below. You can respond anonymously, but we believe a your opinion will carry more weight if you disclose your name and affiliation. Go ahead, tell us what you think.

A big energy battle coming to a vote in PA Read More »

Brits rebel against the plastic bag

Spurred by a filmmaker’s documentary, the English town of Modbury has become the first in Europe to ban them outright. Others may follow as stores, grass-roots groups, and citizens are joining forces to reduce national consumption of the ubiquitous convenience item.

British retailer Sainsbury introduced a limited-edition reusable cotton bag (left) designed by Anya Hindmarch. Priced at $10, all 20,000 sold out within an hour.

The Christian Science Monitor reports it all here.

Brits rebel against the plastic bag Read More »

Dozens of environmental bills posted today in NJ lawmakers’ summer swan song

Jersey’s beaches beckon and the State Legislature is heeding the call.

In what is expected to be the final sessions for both the State Senate and General Assembly prior to a traditional summer recess, legislators are scheduled to vote today in Trenton on a state budget and hundreds of additional pieces of legislation–including more than 40 environmental bills.

Among numerous environmental bills up for final legislative approval are:

A-383 / S-344 Requires the BPU to establish voluntary program for certification of renewable energy installers.

A-2039 /S-843 Requires certain State buildings to be designed and managed to meet high performance green building standards.

A-3301 / S-2114 The “Global Warming Response Act,” which requires that the level of greenhouse gas emissions in the State be reduced to the 1990 level by January 1, 2020.

A-4344 /S-2762 Makes changes to the New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust Financing Program.

A-4346 /S-2763 Authorizes New Jersey Environmental Infrastructure Trust to expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects.

A-4402 The “Green Acres, Farmland, Blue Acres, and Historic Preservation Bond Act of 2007”; authorizes issuance of $200 million in bonds

A-3983 /S-2631 Requires State to replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs; requires the BPU to educate public on benefits of compact fluorescent light bulbs.

Dozens of environmental bills posted today in NJ lawmakers’ summer swan song Read More »

NJ & PA plot greenhouse gas reductions

An Assembly committee in New Jersey last week approved A-3301, a bill that would require the state to cut heat-trapping emissions from burning coal, oil and gas by 20 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by mid-century. Those are the same goals Gov. Jon Corzine set in an executive order he signed in February.

The business community sent a mixed message at the hearing. The New Jersey Business and Industry voiced opposition to the bill, while the state’s largest energy utility, Public Service Electric and Gas, supported it (after a key amendment was added to ensure customers wouldn’t simply buy power from out-of-state utilities).

In Pennsylvania, Governor Rendell hasn’t yet unveiled his energy strategy but a leading environmental group last week released a “Climate Change Roadmap” containing 40 recommendations it says will help the state combat global warming. The Pennsylvania Environmental Council said that, if its recommendations are incorporated into legislation, the Commonwealth might realize a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions, by 2025, from 2000.

NJ & PA plot greenhouse gas reductions Read More »

Recent Superfund ruling explained

Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that private parties may recover clean up costs, even if voluntarily incurred, from other parties who are potentially responsible for polluting a site.

The decision could have significant repercussions in Superfund-rich states like New Jersey where previous decisions have limited the ability of corporations and other private parties who voluntarily pay–sometimes into the millions–for site cleanups to seek reimbursement from others whose actions contributed to the the site’s contamination.

One of New Jersey’s preeminent Superfund attorneys, William H. Hyatt, Jr. analyzes the court’s unanimous, June 11 decision in a K&L/Gates Environmental, Land Use and Natural Resources Alert published with colleagues Emily L. Won and Karyllan Dodson Mack

Recent Superfund ruling explained Read More »