EnviroPolitics Blog

Week’s top environmental & political news: Dec 17-21

Some of the top environmental and political news stories appearing in
EnviroPolitics from Dec. 17 -21. Captured from newspapers and other
information sources in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and beyond.

New Jersey Environment

Greenhouse gas plan aids polluters, critics contend A plan to combat global warming in New Jersey could end up subsidizing power plants that put more green-house gases into the air, environmental groups complain. The so-called “cap and trade” bill (S2976) would allow NJ to join nine other Northeastern states seeking to cut emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from power plants Bergen Record Star-Ledger

Jon, like Arnold, pumped up with anger at EPA NJ will consider suing the federal government over the EPA’s refusal to let states adopt stricter-than-federal auto emission standards Star-Ledger Bergen Record

Hundreds of fish perish in plant shutdown A few hundred bluefish had died as of late Wednesday afternoon from exposure to cold water after the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey had to be shut down; thousands more face death AP Press

Demand grows for commuter rail lines With NJ Transit setting another recordfor the number of people riding its trains and buses, the agency also has to find waysto keep from being a victim of its success AP Press
> Port Authority to add cars to Newark/WTC line Jersey Journal
> After a rocky past, Amtrak’s rolling Amtrak ridership jumped to a record 25.8 million passengers in last Fiscal Year Star-Ledger

New Jersey Politics

Officer refuses to testify in waterfront agency probe The first person to be subpoenaed in the probe of the region’s waterfront watchdog agency has refused totestify Star-Ledger

Senator Kenney’s state trooper escort If police know what happened to state Sen. Bernard Kenny, they’re not saying. But enough scenarios exist to warrant state-trooper protection PolitickerNJ Wally Edge blog

Death row disappears as Corzine signs bill Gov. Jon Corzine signed historic legislation abolishing the state’s death penalty yesterday, clearing death row at New Jersey State Prison and providing an epitaph for what he called “state-endorsed killing”in the pursuit of justice Star-Ledger Cartoon

A rough journey from Wall Street to State Street Corzine is under fire fromunions, environmentalists, the NAACP and other liberal constituencies who have begun to wonder if he really is the progressive capitalist they thought they were helpingto elect. The state faces a $3B shortfall and $32B in debt and his plan to “restructure” the state’s finances by raising Turnpike tolls is stalled. His relationship with the Legislature is tenuous Star-Ledger

Pennsylvania Environment

Editorial: The GOP’s EPA muscles in The U.S. Environmental Rejection, er, Protection Agency handed down yet another puzzling decision Wednesday. It said California could not mandate emissions standards for new cars and trucks that are tougher than the federal ones. Actually, blame for the decision shouldn’t go to the entire EPA. It was made by EPA administrator Stephen L. Johnson, who overruled the unanimous recommendation of the agency’s legal and technical staffs Inquirer

PPL to apply for third unit at nuclear plant PPL Corp. will seek permissionto build a third reactor at the atomic power plant it operates in northeastern PA Daily Item Standard-Speaker

Report: Reservoirs could have lowered floodwaters by 6 feet Report by Roger Ruggles, head of civil and environmental engineering at Lafayette College in Easton, provides the clearest analysis to date supporting the argument put forth by flood-control advocates Pocono Record

Army Corps to clean Armstrong County nuclear dump The Army Corps of Engineers will cleanup more than 50,000 tons of nuclear waste, but will leave behind other materials containing potentially dangerous heavy metals AP

Pennsylvania Politics

Smith calls Rendell-Lane story a “whitewash” House Majority Sam Smith, R-Jefferson, isn’t buying Gov. Ed Rendell’s story on the reason why Philadelphia TVnews anchor Alycia Lane called the governor after her arrest for assaulting a New York police officer Patriot News

Senator who? Unlike Rick Santorum, who was known for exasperating foes and even supporters with incendiary remarks and hardball politics, Bob Casey Jr.’s first year in the Senate has been mostly quiet Patriot-News

New York/U.S./World

Environmentalists sue state over ‘brownfields’ Ithaca Journal
Trump takes another go at Jones Beach plans Newsday
LI gas customers to pay $82.4 million more Newsday
Park plan is chosen for Governor’s Island NY Times
Utilities told to switch to time-of-day rates Ithaca Journal
DEC scrambles to catch up on enviro projects Democrat & Chronicle
Bali forum backs climate ‘Road Map’ Washington Post
> Climate plan looks beyond Bush’s tenure New York Times

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Week’s top environmental & political news: Dec 17-21 Read More »

Week’s top environmental/political news: Dec 10-14 2007

Some of the top environmental and political news stories appearing in EnviroPolitics from Dec. 10 -14. Captured from newspapers and other information sources in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and beyond.

New Jersey Environment

– Editorial: Greenhouse bills fly under the political radar Global warming legislation moving in Legislature may prove more important than issues currently attracting headlines Trenton Times

– No proof for crab ban, fishermen say in DEP lawsuit A group of Delaware Bay fishermen are suing the state, trying to overturn a ban on horse-hoe crab harvesting. They say the crab supply is plentiful and there is no proof that their limited harvest is causing a decline in the population of red knots AC Press

– Oil officials say LNG plans will aid NJ economy, air Top executives from BP and ExxonMobil say proposed liquefied natural gas terminals will boost the state economy and meet increasing demand for the clean-burning fuel Bergen Record
> Editorial: Say “no thanks” to ExxonMobil State and federal legislators should let the energy company know in no uncertain terms that our offshore is off limits AP Press

– Natural gas terminal is proposed off Jersey coast Exxon Mobil said yesterday it wants to build a $1 billion liquefied natural gas terminal about 20 miles off the state coast, a project that it says will deliver new fuel to a region where rising demand and scarce supplies have led to spikes in heating and electric bills Star-Ledger NY Times Wall Street Journal

– Lyndhurst voids EnCap pact Township Council votes to terminate its agreement with the developers of the EnCap housing and golf project, saying the developers didn’t made good on a recreation promises Bergen Record AP

New Jersey Politics

– NJ Assembly OKs measure to end executions After more than two hours of emotional debate about justice and retribution, the Assembly yesterday gave final approval to a bill to abolish New Jersey’s death penalty, sending the measure to the desk of a governor who is eager to sign it into law Star-Ledger Cartoon

– ‘Prurient’ accusations leak in James case Ex-Newark mayor Sharpe James billed the city for pornographic movies and lotions while staying at a Miami hotel, prosecutors say Star-Ledger

– Jersey units prepare for active duty Nearly 150 National Guard soldiers based in North Jersey — scheduled be part of the state’s largest deployment since World War II — underwent processing and exams on Wednesday at Fort Dix in advance of their scheduled mobilization to Iraq in September Bergen Record

– Key Democrat seeks probe of Katz in-law The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee calls for the attorney general to investigate whether the brother-in-law of Gov. Jon Corzine’s ex-girlfriend broke the law while working for the state Star-Ledger
> Paybacks are a bitch Wally Edge blog
– The seaport challenge The Port of NY and NJ last year handled 2.99 million cargo containers. That number is expected to rise to 4.87 million annually over the next decade with most of those containers still being hauled from the waterfront on trucks. “The idea that we’ll be able to take all of it out of the port by truck is crazy,” says former state transportation commissioner Jack Lettiere, now a consultant. “We will drown in trucks” Star-Ledger Pennsylvania Environment– Merck settles with DEP for $20M The PA Department of Environmental Protection has agreed to the terms of a more than $20 million settlement with drug-maker Merck & Co. that will support restoration work in the Wissahickon Creek watershed, upgrade the company’s West Point facility, responsible for an illegal June 2006 chemical release into a Montgomery County sewer system, and fund other water improvement projects in the region Lansdale Reporter Inquirer

– Environmental committee delivers six bills to full house State Rep. Camille “Bud” George, majority chairman of the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, said the panel has released bipartisan measures aiming at reducing energy dependence and costs Gant Daily

– Deals to preserve 7,000 acres of land around York region Two separate deals worth millions of dollars will preserve about 7,000 acres of land, including thousands of acres along the Susquehanna River in this region York Dispatch Lancaster New Era

– Official: Cancer not linked to pollution While Towanda’s zip code has a cancer occurrence rate that is higher than the state rate, scientific research does not support the idea that it’s due to pollution in the environment, a state public health official says Daily Review

– Muhlenberg cancer victim’s mother files suit Debbie Mason wants to know why her 24-year-old daughter died of cancer, as she files suit against three companies, alleging pollution had a role Reading Eagle

– Environmental group, state clash over the use of fly ash A 700-page report alleging ground and surface water contamination at abandoned mine sites across PA reclaimed with fly ash has an environmental group facing off against state officials Tribune-Democrat

– Cost for proposed tire plant goes up The cost of the 90-megawatt tires-to-energy plant proposed in east Erie has gone up again, and so has its potential appetite for scrap tires goerie.com

Pennsylvania Politics

– Philly D.A. mum about seeking A.G. job District Attorney Lynne Abraham yesterday declined to dispel buzz in political circles that she’ll resign her post early next year to run for state attorney general Daily News

– Court approves probe of casino owner Dauphin County’s DA gets the green light to resume his grand-jury investigation into circumstances surrounding the slot-license awarded to Lackawanna businessman Louis DeNaples Patriot-News

– Republicans warm a bit to leasing turnpike As questions continue about whether the state can impose tolls on Interstate 80 to help raise the money, some Republicans are rethinking the concept of a turnpike lease Tribune-Review

New York/Nation/World

– State Senate heads home leaving much undone LoHud.com
– LIPA OKs 2 percent rate hike spirited debate Newsday
– Senate energy bill is first scrimmage in carbon war CSM
– Gore joins chorus chiding U.S. at climate talks NY Times
– Climate talks in Bali head for compromise Reuters
– Catskills development deal doesn’t end a battle NY Times
– Gov. Spitzer ripped for state plane use Daily News
– Report: LIPA fuel cell plagued by problems Newsday
– Power corridor in PA, NJ, NY to be re-examined AP
– Spitzer says he welcomes ethics testimony Buffalo News

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Week’s top environmental/political news: Dec 10-14 2007 Read More »

Offshore NJ natural gas proposal draws rapid & rabid response

The public relations war of the decade may be shaping up in New Jersey where Exxon Mobil announced plans on Dec 11 to seek approval from environmental regulators for a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) receiving terminal 20 miles off the state’s coastline .

With the nation in the midst of a heralded “energy crisis,” the chance to bring needed gas supplies to the power-hungry Northeast normally might be welcomed, especially since the facility is planned for a location virtually out of sight from shore and away from shipping lanes, ports and recreational areas, according to Exxon Mobil.

But the news hadn’t even been reported in most media outlets before Clean Ocean Action’s executive director Cindy Zipf had fired off a press release declaring:

“Here’s another bad actor that wants to bring fossil fuels, pollution, and industrial development to our cleaner, healthier ocean. Who’s next, Darth Vader?”

Lest anyone fail to recognize the “bad actor” in question, Zipf added:

“Exxon Mobil is known around the world for drunken sailors, massive oil spills, and destroying communities, such as in Prince William Sound, Alaska.”

Exxon Mobil would be well advised not to dismiss this as just the usual gust of Jersey-environmental-hyperbole. Cindy Zipf and her organization have gone up against the big boys in the past and cleaned their clocks.

The organization got its start with a campaign against the entrenched practice of at-sea dumping of industrial waste, dredge spoils and sludge from county and municipal waste treatment plants. They faced formidable opposition from industry, government and the Army Corps of Engineers. The battle dragged on for years but, ultimately, Zipf’s forces prevailed. All eight ocean dumpsites operating at the time have been closed and federal legislation now bans ocean dumping of sewage sludge and most other materials.

Clean Ocean Action has been wise to expand its membership beyond the environmental community and today includes the recreational fishing and boating industries, surfers, and more than 100 businesses that depend on Jersey Shore tourism. COA’s yearly “beach sweeps,” which enlist volunteers to remove litter from beaches, has won it reams of good press and a hardcore group of supporters.

Evidence of COA’s influence was seen as the shore’s largest newspaper, the Asbury Park Press ripped Exxon Mobil’s LNG proposal in an editorial that appeared almost immediately on the heels of Zipf’s news release.

Readers of EnviroPolitics yesterday got to see this story on the Exxon Mobil proposal:

– Oil officials say LNG plans will aid NJ economy, air Top executives from BP and Exxon Mobil say proposed liquefied natural gas terminals will boost the state economy and meet increasing demand for the clean-burning fuel Bergen Record And the Asbury Park Press’ response:

-Editorial: Say “no thanks” to Exxon Mobil State and federal legislators should let the energy company know in no uncertain terms that our offshore is off limits AP Press

At least one blogger has already weighed in, as well. Alan Caruba, whose been described as a “is a public relations advisor and a vitriolic critic of environmentalism” took the not-unexpected position of chiding the enviros in “Saying No to energy” which appeared yesterday in his daily blog, “Warning Signs.” You may not agree with Caruba’s position, but I think you’ll find his writing style both provocative and entertaining.

Bloggers on the left will surely follow in what is just the start of a terrific PR skirmish. We plan to follow it all from the media front lines and report on major engagements, tactical moves, body counts and collateral damage. Stay tuned.

Offshore NJ natural gas proposal draws rapid & rabid response Read More »

MA town out to derail NJ train company

The Boston Globe reported Dec. 2 that leaders in the Massachusetts town of Wilmington are urging the chemical company, Olin Corp., to back off plans to sell a portion of its former manufacturing property–now a Superfund site–to a Jersey railroad company that plans to use the property for a waste transfer station.

For several years, local environmentalists, politicians and area solid-waste management companies have been opposing the truck-to-rail transfer facility proposed by New England Transrail (NET), which has its headquarters in Teaneck, NJ.

Olin, which closed its Wilmington site in 1986, is based in Missouri and produces copper alloys, ammunition, and chlorine.

Much of the local opposition reportedly has been based on the fear that, if NET wins its petition before the federal Surface Transportation Board (STB) to be designated as a rail carrier, it would not be subject to state and local environmental statutes and regulations.

Local opponents won a partial victory in July, when the STB ruled that part of NET’s plan involving shredding of construction and demolition debris would “extend beyond the scope of rail transportation and would therefore be subject to the full panoply of state and local regulation.”

The Board also said that would withhold a final decision until the federal Environmental Protection Agency completes “an ongoing remedial investigation and feasibility study of the site on which NET proposes to operate.”

A copy of the STB’s July 10 ruling is available here.

MA town out to derail NJ train company Read More »

Week’s top environmental and political news: Nov 26-30

Some of the top stories appearing in EnviroPolitics from Nov. 26 -30. Captured from newspapers and other information sources in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and beyond.

New Jersey Environment
Trump at the dump Donald Trump prides himself on building and acquiring world-class real estate. But on Thursday his stage was decidedly less appealing –a garbage dump in Lyndhurst, NJ. “We will improve it quickly,” said the New York real estate tycoon of the EnCap site in southern Bergen County where he anticipates building and opening a golf course within two years Story

Top court hears NJ, DE border dispute Attorneys for New Jersey and Delaware argue before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case that could determine whether energy company BP can build a liquefied natural gas terminal in Logan Twp., NJ. The dispute centers on an unusual, anachronistic border that gives Delaware some territory on the NJ side of the Delaware River AC Press Inquirer Glouco Times Delawareonline WSJ Law Blog

Waste could light a million NJ homes New Jersey’s garbage, landfill gases and other biomass” – which includes corn, paper, grass clippings and used cooking grease, among others – could one day generate enough electricity to power a million homes and even be used to generate 300 million gallons of fuel for transportation, according to a report released by the state Board of Public Utilities Bergen Record Rutgers report & biomass calculator

Meadowlands developer gets 30-day cleanup extension A troubled $1billion plan to turn landfills into luxury housing and golf courses receives another reprieve Star-Ledger
Bergen Record

More cheers than protests in area eyed for nuke reactor While the prospect of a nuclear reactor might cause an uproar in most communities, it’s largely welcome in a rural
area deep in southern New Jersey Associated Press

NJ seeks power to regulate rail waste facilities Congress and the White House are talking trash over waste dumps that have cropped up near freight-rail tracks in New Jersey
AP Press

New Jersey Politics

Corzine comptroller nominee on hold The nomination of Matthew Boxer to become the state’s first comptroller hits a roadblock amid questions over whether he had a role in payments or promises made on behalf of the governor to the brother-in-law of Corzine’s ex-girlfriend Star-Ledger Bergen Record
Businesses gripe about (lack of) ethics in New Jersey A new study reportsstrong disgust from the business community on how NJ government is run. It recommends several steps for state leaders to take, including a complete pay-to-playban, a uniform ethics code and a bipartisan panel modeled after the federal 9/11 Commission to identify and cure state’s ethical problems Gannett
Giblin’s nephew named in probe State Assemblyman Thomas Giblin’s nephew has been implicated in an alleged kickback scheme as federal authorities continue what sources say is a corruption probe into a union local and the politically active family that has run it for decades Star-Ledger
Pascrell seeks probe of Ashcroft contract NJ congressman asks the House Judiciary Committee to investigate the circumstances that let U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie appoint his former boss, Attorney General John Ashcroft, to a monitoring contract that might be worth as much as $52M Star-Ledger
Suit alleges Doria retaliated against 2 who helped probe Did state Department of Community Affairs Commissioner Joseph V. Doria Jr., as Bayonne’s mayor, arrange for the firing of two employees who aided a probe into corruption? Star-Ledger

Opponents of gay marriage launch all-out NJ campaign A national campaignto block gay marriage came to New Jersey this week as conservative groups beganairing radio ads and bombarded a key lawmaker’s office with as many as 200 phonecalls an hour Star-Ledger

Pennsylvania Environment

PPL to develop renewable energy generating facility at landfill PPL Renewable Energy, a subsidiary of PPL Corporation, will develop and install a 6.4-mw methane-to-electricity generation system at the Community Refuse Service Landfill in Shippensburg
Pocono News

Fuel tax to pay for leaky tanks Anyone fueling up a vehicle in PA soon mayhave to hand over an additional penny per gallon to pay to clean up damage fromleaking underground fuel tanks Evening Sun Senate bill boosts alternate energy A Senate committee approved a bill Tuesday to provide $20M annually in state tax credits for research and development of alternate energy sources Times Tribune

Wave of wind farms A wind farm consisting of 20 turbines to be built in Adams Twp., Cambria County, was issued a DEP permit last week, the latest in a wave of windmill projects spreading across the commonwealth Patriot-News

Specter uses Siemens visit to sell his climate proposal With the U.S. Senate considering several climate bills and an international forum on climate change convening next week, PA Republican Sen. Arlen Specter has been touting his own bill to reduce greenhouse gases Post-Gazette
PPL eyes jump-start power The utility says it doesn’t have enough juice to restart service if it were disrupted by a blackout Times Leader
Penn State gets Critical Zone Observatory Shale Hills in central PA is already a busy area in the university’s managed forest lands, but now a five-year $4.2M National Science Foundation Grant will make it even busier as scientists study how soils form from bedrock and how soil formation affects water movement and groundwater flow to streams PSU
Pennsylvania Politics

A Foxwoods Casino principal sues to regain political access A Blue Bell developer who owns nearly 10 percent of the planned Foxwoods Casino Philadelphiahas asked the state Supreme Court to strike down Pennsylvania’s ban on political campaign contributions by casino owners and executives Inquirer

Rendell yanks penny-per-gallon request on gas sales Governor says his administration would withdraw a request that could have added a penny onto the cost of a gallon of gas to help clean up leaking underground fuel tanks Philly.comPA Supreme Court rejects slots lawsuit Court says a suit seeking to throw out the state slot-machine law has no merit APBig money is rejecting threat to Brady A newcomer considers a primary run against the Philadelphia power Inquirer
New York/Nation/World

Energy competition vs. regulation to spur controversy Influential players in the energy market are preparing for what is likely to be a major fight in the 2008 Legislative session over whether to re-regulate energy costs in New York IthicaJournal.com

After a rough start, Spitzer rethinks his ways NY Times

Coast Guard to test oil from seven ships in spill Newsday

Nobel Prize brings Gore back to White House NPR

Oil spill near Jones Beach draws broad response NYT

Long Island spill source still a mystery LoHud.com

State colleges taking steps to ban Styrofoam LoHud.com

Drought could force shutdown of GA nuclear plants TBJ

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Week’s top environmental and political news: Nov 26-30 Read More »

More legal support for voluntary cleanups

For years, companies that elected to voluntarily clean up Superfund sites have been at a disadvantage, with legal precedent frustrating their attempts to collect payments from other parties who contributed to the contamination.

But more recent rulings are giving hope to their chances of recouping some of the costs of remediations that often can run into multi-million-dollar figures.

Today’s issue of LAW.com reports on the most recent decision in “3rd Circuit Changes Direction in ‘DuPont’ Environmental Cleanup Case“

More legal support for voluntary cleanups Read More »