Bill would require solar panels in all new NJ schools

UPDATE: The bill was released by the Assembly Education Committee on September 16, 2010 and referred to the Assembly Appropriations Committee. 

The New Jersey Assembly’s Education Committee on Thursday will consider environmental legislation requiring the incorporation of solar panels in the design and construction of all new public schools in the state.

In the statement to his bill, A-1084, Assemblyman Reed Gusciora says the legislation is good for the community and the environment.  
“The use of solar power means less consumption of fossil fuels, reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from local power plants.  A solar power system can also reduce or eliminate a school building’s electric bill.  Installing a solar power system is equivalent to prepaying for 40 years of power at a fraction of the current cost.  As energy rates increase this difference will only increase, leading to escalating savings for the school district over the life of the system.”
Do you agree?  Use the comment box below to share your opinion.  If one isn’t visible, open it
by clicking on the tiny ‘comment’ line below.

_______________________________________________________________________


NOTE:  Subscribers to our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics, get to monitor
the progress of all environmental and energy bills in New Jersey and Pennsylvania
–from introduction to enactment.  We supply links to all updated versions of bills,
including committee and floor amendments. 

Try EnviroPolitics without charge or obligation for 30 full days!
 ______________________________________________________________________

Our most recent posts: 
Environmental bills scheduled for votes this week

Bill would require solar panels in all new NJ schools Read More »

Environmental legislation scheduled for votes this week in the New Jersey Legislature

New Jersey Dome
The New Jersey Legislature is back in action after its summer recess.
Several committees will be meeting this week to consider the environmental and energy bills listed below. 

To view a copy of any bill below,  left click on bill number. 

MONDAY, September 13, 2010
           ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES 
           9/13/10 10 AM Room 9, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-915  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Ramos Jr., R.J. (D-33) Authorizes creation of local renewable 
energy collaboratives and central renewable energy generation systems, and provides for sale
of renewable power generation. Related Bill: S-463  

A-2574  Stender, L. (D-22) Revises the definitions of Class I renewable energy and
renewable energy certificate under the Electric Discount and Energy Competition Act.

A-3139  Quijano, A. (D-20); DeAngelo, W.P. (D-14)

Permits development of solar and photovoltaic energy facilities and structures over
landfills and quarries. Related Bill: S-2126


A-3142  Chivukula, U.J. (D-17); Wilson, G.L. (D-5)
Directs BPU to undertake local government renewable energy generation
demonstration project utilizing renewable energy technologies. Related Bill: S-2196

S-463  Smith, B. (D-17); Buono, B. (D-18) Authorizes creation of local renewable energy collaboratives and central renewable energy generation systems, and provides for sale of renewable power generation.     
______________________________________________________

SENATE BUDGET AND APPROPRIATIONS
09/13/10 11AM Room 4, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ

S-2231  Sweeney, S.M. (D-3); Kean, T.H. (R-21) Allows tax credits for development
of qualified wind energy facilities in port district of Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
_________________________________________________

SENATE LAW AND PUBLIC SAFETY
09/13/10 01:00 PM Room 10, 3rd Floor, State House Annex  

S-1793  Cardinale, G. (R-39); Lesniak, R.J. (D-20)
Creates cooperative farm winery licenses .
_________________________________________________

ASSEMBLY COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
09/13/10 02:00 PM Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex  

A-2474  Coughlin, C.J. (D-19); Coutinho, A. (D-29)
Provides a corporation business tax credit for certain investment in
manufacturing equipment and manufacturing facility renovation,
modernization and expansion.  Related Bill: S-1865  

A-2977  Coutinho, A. (D-29); Quijano, A. (D-20)
Exempts from payment certain taxes and energy charges for manufacturing
facilities.  Related Bill: S-1733
(See: Tax Exemption Could Cut Manufacturers’ Energy Bills by 10 Percent)
__________________________________________________

WEDNESDAY, September 15

SALES AND USE TAX REVIEW COMMISSION
09/15/10 10:00 AM


The Commission will meet via conference call.  The call dial-in number is
877-322-9654 and the participant code is 201376. 
A-3126  Quijano, A. (D-20); Ramos Jr., R.J. (D-33)
Provides sales and use tax exemption for wind energy equipment.
Related Bill: S-2005
________________________________________

NOTE:  Subscribers to our daily newsletter, EnviroPolitics, get to monitor
the progress of all environmental and energy bills in New Jersey and Pennsylvania
–from introduction to enactment.  We supply links to all updated versions of bills,
including committee and floor amendments. 

Try EnviroPolitics without charge or obligation for 30 full days!

Our most recent posts:  
Latest heat-beater: Plump, red, Jersey (rooftop) tomatoes 
Great videos for the Labor Day Weekend–or any time
Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside life is now quite a gas
Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board
Four fracking good stories (on gas drilling)


Environmental legislation scheduled for votes this week in the New Jersey Legislature Read More »

Latest heat-beater: Plump, red, Jersey (rooftop) tomatoes

First, it was windmills. Then solar panels.

Now the Atlantic County Utilities Authority is exploring the benefits of green roofs.

The New Jersey authority has allowed a New York company to plant greenery on the roof of the brick building it leases to Comcast.

The goal is for the plants to soak up rain, deflect the sun’s heat, insulate the building and protect the roof, ACUA President Rick Dovey said.

“The sod-busters had it right,” he said of the Great Plains settlers who built homes with turf.

Plant Connection, Inc., based in Dix Hills, N.Y., donated the greenery to the ACUA as a demonstration project in hopes the idea catches on in southern New Jersey as it has in other parts of the country.

See the entire story from today’s Press of Atlantic City.

————————————————————————————————————————————-Read dozens of informative environmental stories from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware and beyond–every business day. EnviroPolitics, Free for 30 days.
————————————————————————————————————————————-
   
Our most recent posts:
Great videos for the Labor Day Weekend–or any time
Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside life is now quite a gas
Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board
Four fracking good stories (on gas drilling)
PPL/PSEG power line comment period extended

Latest heat-beater: Plump, red, Jersey (rooftop) tomatoes Read More »

Great videos for the Labor Day Weekend–or any time

Looking for something more enlightening than the Labor Day Weekend Top (fill in the number) Solid Gold Rock Hits? 

Try a few of the video’s on this compilation of the 20 Best TED Talks on the Environment.

If you’re not familiar with TED Talks, you’ll thank us if only for introducing you to this incredibly rich resource.

P.S. If you’re not already signed up to receive our blog updates, use the Email subscription form or RSS link in the upper left hand corner of the page.  

Our most recent posts:
Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside life is now quite a gas
Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board
Four fracking good stories (on gas drilling)
PPL/PSEG power line comment period extended
New Jersey orders lower sulfur in home heating oil 
  
—————————————————————————-
Like this post? You’ll love our daily newsletter
EnviroPolitics – Try it free for 30 days!
No obligation. Cancel anytime with a single click
—————————————————————————-

Great videos for the Labor Day Weekend–or any time Read More »

Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside life is now quite a gas

This CBS News report, aired on September 4, 2010 shows how industrial shale gas drilling operation are altering Pennsylvania’s beautiful countryside and raising health and safety fears among some who live there.

The story also contains an interview with the PADEP Secretary John Hanger who says that the gas industry is out of bounds for not disclosing the chemical contents of fracking fluids.

Our most recent posts:
Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board
Four fracking good stories (on gas drilling)
PPL/PSEG power line comment period extended
New Jersey orders lower sulfur in home heating oil 
EPA looking to improve new vehicle fuel labels  
   
—————————————————————————-
Like this post? You’ll love our daily newsletter
EnviroPolitics – Try it free for 30 days!
No obligation. Cancel anytime with a single click
—————————————————————————-

Pennsylvania’s bucolic countryside life is now quite a gas Read More »

Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has appointed Jorge Berkowitz, PhD, LSRP, to the state’s Site Remediation Professional Licensing Board.

Berkowitz, a Senior Associate at Langan Engineering & Environmental Services, will join 12 other members of the Board established to enforce the code of conduct and professional standards required of Licensed Site Remediation Professionals (LSRPs).

Berkowitz’ appointment was also unanimously approved by the New Jersey State Senate Judiciary Committee.

A graduate of Rutgers University with a PhD in Environmental Science, Berkowitz has more than 35 years of experience in the private and public sectors as well as academia. He also spent over 8 years with the Department of Environmental Protection in various positions, leaving the Department in 1989 as an Assistant Commissioner for Environmental Control.

“I am honored by this appointment, and look forward to contributing further to the progress currently being made to improve the environmental remediation process in New Jersey,” said Berkowitz. “Most of my career has been dedicated to the effective redevelopment of Brownfields and landfills in New Jersey, and it is exciting to be part of the recent advances made by the LSRP program, which is already expediting the way we clean up sites in our state.”

Our most recent posts: 
Four fracking good stories (on gas drilling)
PPL/PSEG power line comment period extended
New Jersey orders lower sulfur in home heating oil 
EPA looking to improve new vehicle fuel labels  
How to get NJ’s governor to throw you a green party 
   
—————————————————————————-
Like this post? You’ll love our daily newsletter
EnviroPolitics – Try it free for 30 days!
No obligation. Cancel anytime with a single click
—————————————————————————-

Langan’s Jorge Berkowitz named to NJ’s LSRP board Read More »