EnviroPolitics Blog

Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks too big to me

Editor’s Note: Headline apology to Rick Nelson

By Ali Watkins, New York Times

Stargazers are being treated to an astronomical show this week as an infrequent blue supermoon lights up the night sky, one of the largest and brightest full moons of the year.

Visible from late Sunday through Wednesday, it will be the first of the year’s four consecutive supermoons. But it’s a special instance, because Sunday’s supermoon is also a seasonal blue moon — the third full moon in a season of four.

The full moon will appear larger and brighter than usual.

The term “supermoon,” coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, refers to a moment when the full moon is closest to Earth on its orbital path. It’s not an official astronomical term, but it is used by the lay-stargazers among us.

Blue Moon lights up sky around the world (Axios photos)

A “blue” moon bears no connection to the color blue, and the moon won’t have a colorful tinge. Instead, a blue moon is used to describe what is effectively an additional full moon, one that violates the rule of thumb, that there is one full moon in a month, or three full moons in a season.

Read the full story here

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Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks too big to me Read More »

Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks to big to me

*The moon shining behind the Rande Bridge in Vigo, Spain, on Monday. Credit…Sxenick/EPA, via Shutterstock*

By Ali Watkins, New York Times

Stargazers are being treated to an astronomical show this week as an infrequent blue supermoon lights up the night sky, one of the largest and brightest full moons of the year.

The full moon will appear larger and brighter than usual.

Blue Moon lights up sky around the world (Axios)

Read the full story here

If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks to big to me Read More »

New Jersey and Orsted offshore wind are officially kaput

By Bill Barlow, Press of Atlantic City

In two unanimous votes Wednesday, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities vacated rulings related to Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2, huge offshore wind power projects from Danish energy company Ørsted.

Board members vacated a 2019 decision approving Ocean Wind 1 to build close to 100 towering wind turbines off South Jersey beaches. That plan seemed likely to be the first large-scale offshore wind project to be completed in New Jersey, although local opposition continued to grow as the project moved through the state and federal permitting process.

Orsted settle claims with New Jersey for $125M over scrapped offshore projects (AP)
ORSTED pulls plug on its New Jersey offshore wind energy plans (EnviroPolitics)

The BPU vote also vacates approvals granted for rights-of-way for the proposed power lines to pass under Ocean City and across Upper Township to bring the power to the site of the former B.L England power plant, where it would have entered the power grid.

A state law, one which the primary sponsor described as being aimed at Ocean City, allowed the BPU to approve the right-of-way if local communities failed to do so. Several local officials at the city and county level called the move a blow to the principles of home rule.

In September of last year, a group of protesters blocked work at 35th Street exploring the route for the power lines to cross Ocean City. Eventually, six people were arrested after they refused to clear the way. Charges were later dropped.

Despite the decision to vacate, that state law remains in effect.

“The BPU still has the authority to grant new easements to a qualified wind energy company without consent by Ocean City or Cape May County,” Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen said in an emailed response to a request for comment. “The city continues its legal action challenging the constitutionality of the statute that gives the BPU that power.”

Cape May County celebrated the decision.

“Today is a very important day in our ongoing opposition to these environmentally destructive offshore wind projects,” county Commissioner Director Len Desiderio said in a statement released after the vote. “The vacation of these orders by the BPU means that it will be much more difficult for Ørsted or any other big wind company to utilize these lease areas just a few miles off Cape May County beaches.”

Read the full story here

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NJDEP is modifying its rules for architectural coatings

The proposed amendments to the rules governing architectural coatings will add new categories of coatings that will be subject to new volatile organic compound (VOC) content limits and will lower the VOC content limits for some of the existing categories.

The amendments will discontinue 15 of the existing categories for products manufactured on or after the VOC content limit compliance date, and products previously subject to those categories will be subject to the VOC limit of one of the remaining categories.

They also will update various provisions of the rules including revisions to the methods used to calculate VOC content, test methods, and definitions. Finally, the proposed rulemaking includes amendments to the penalty provisions at N.J.A.C. 7:27A-3.10 that correspond to the amendments at N.J.A.C. 7:27-23.

The proposal also constitutes a revision to New Jersey’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment and maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone.

See a copy of the rule changes here.

A public hearing on the proposal will be conducted virtually via the Department’s video conferencing software on October 15, 2024 at 9:00 A.M.

NJDEP is modifying its rules for architectural coatings Read More »

Philly food banks benefit from peak harvest at community gardens

Michael Muehlbauer, of Germantown, left, with Grumble Thorpe historic house and gardens and the Fair Amount Food Forest, is picking up seedlings for the two gardens at the City Harvest PHS program at Awbury Arboretum with the help from volunteer Gracia Akpali, 29, of Nicetown, in Philadelphia, Pa., on Saturday, Aug., 10, 2024. — Michael Muehlbauer, of Germantown, left, with Grumble Thorpe historic house and gardens and the Fair Amount Food Forest, is picking up seedlings for the two gardens at the City Harvest PHS program at Awbury Arboretum with the help from volunteer Gracia Akpali, 29, of Nicetown in Philadelphia.

By Lynette Hazelton, Philadelphia Inquirer

For the best in hyperlocal organic produce, you could shop at any of Philadelphia’s upscale supermarkets — and expect to pay a high price.

Many food-insecure city residents can get the best in hyperlocal organic produce, too, and it’s free.

The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society supports 176 community-led gardens, many of which cooperate with City Harvest, a PHS initiative, by pledging to grow and redistribute some of their produce to food pantries, soup kitchens, community fridges, and other nonprofit programs across the city.

“It’s so important that we are not just feeding people but connecting people and building community,” said Adam Hill, director of community gardens and urban agriculture for PHS.

From seedlings to food security

That’s why, on a recent Saturday at Awbury Arboretum, car after car slowly made its way to the greenhouse to collect a box of seedlings from PHS staff and volunteers that included collard greens, zucchini, cucumbers, peppers, and broccoli to grow for a nonprofit agency. It was City Harvest’s last of its three annual seedling giveaways that PHS calculates are worth $1,200 to $1,500 per garden.

Unlike commercial gardening centers, PHS gives gardeners seedlings that are seasonally appropriate, said Sally McCabe, associate director of community education. For example, collard greens, she said, are now no longer available at most gardening centers even though, as a fall crop, they will fare well as temperatures go down. She said that gardeners are also getting more variety than a typical garden center can provide.

Loaded carts with seedlings at Awbury Arboretum are ready for people to pick up for their gardens. Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

Read the full story here

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Oil and gas operator with long record of environmental violations booted out of Colorado

Prospect Energy ducks $1.7M in fines under deal endorsed by state regulators and that’s OK with Larimer County residents who have complained about leaks and emissions for years.

By Mark Jaffe, The Colorado Sun

Facing millions of dollars in fines, dozens of violations, legions of complaints from homeowners as well as local governments, oil and gas operator Prospect Energy on Wednesday had its right to do business in Colorado canceled.

The Energy and Carbon Management Commission endorsed a settlement agreement between the commission staff and the Highlands Ranch-based company. Prospect Energy also has an agreement with Larimer County and Fort Collins to clean up sites.

As part of the agreement, $1.7 million in ECMC fines will be waived, with what funds the company has going toward securing and cleaning up its sites. Prospect Energy was fined for illegal flaring, spills and failing to do well-integrity tests.

Prospect Energy’s 59 wells will end up in the ECMC Orphan Well program and will eventually be plugged and abandoned by the state.

Under the agreement, Prospect Energy’s owner, Ward Giltner, must obtain commission approval before owning or operating any future oil and gas properties in Colorado. Giltner did not reply to email and telephone requests for comments.

Read the full story here

Oil and gas operator with long record of environmental violations booted out of Colorado Read More »

Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks too big to me

Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks to big to me

New Jersey and Orsted offshore wind are officially kaput

NJDEP is modifying its rules for architectural coatings

Philly food banks benefit from peak harvest at community gardens

Oil and gas operator with long record of environmental violations booted out of Colorado

Prospect Energy ducks $1.7M in fines under deal endorsed by state regulators and that’s OK with Larimer County residents who have complained about leaks and emissions for years.

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