EnviroPolitics Blog

NJ rejects as too expensive all in latest round of large-scale solar proposals. But the BPU won’t dislose its acceptable price

State also yanks from agenda its controversial plan to get the gas out of buildings

By Tom Johnson, NJ Spotlight

It wasn’t a good day Wednesday for advancing clean-energy goals at the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities.

The state agency rejected proposed solar projects that would have generated more than 300 megawatts of electricity and it postponed action on a much-touted plan to begin electrifying buildings, the second-biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in New Jersey.

The twin setbacks marked the latest turbulence encountered by the Murphy administration in aggressively pushing its goal to shift to a 100% clean-energy economy, an issue now facing the most sustained opposition of Gov. Phil Murphy’s first six years in office.

Denying approval of any of the solar projects proposed in the board’s initial competitive solar solicitation appears for now to be the more consequential action. The solicitation was developed by BPU staff to allow larger-scale solar installations of at least five megawatts to be built at a less expensive cost than much of the solar arrays, including those installed on single-family homes, built in the past.

The solicitation this past spring attracted plenty of interest, with developers seeking approval to build more than 300 megawatts, the goal set by the BPU. But all the projects exceeded confidential price caps set by the agency, leading the commissioners to reject them all.

BPU staff blamed regulatory uncertainty and cost increases as factors in the solar developers failing to come under the price caps, which have never been made public and kept private even from the developers seeking approval for their projects.

The four commissioners (one was absent) unanimously approved the staff recommendation without any comment or debate. A second solicitation is now projected to be held this October and the board will look at revising their assumptions, according to a board order.

“It’s absolutely unbelievable,’’ said Fred DeSanti, executive director of the New Jersey Solar Energy Coalition. “Unless they bother to revise the price caps, why bother? To reject all 300 mw is to say their modeling is better than the markets.’’

Lyle Rawling, founder and president of Advanced Solar Products in Flemington, called the solicitation a “big setback.’’

It is difficult to assess blame, Rawling said, because of the confidential nature of the price caps. “We don’t know whether the industry blew it or the BPU. We can’t work on the problem until we know where it came from,’’ Rawling said.

In deferring action on a building decarbonization plan, BPU President Joseph Fiordaliso said there had been a lot of input on the proposal from stakeholders, and the board wanted it all to be considered. The proposal was only unveiled early last month.

Fiordaliso said the issue would be taken up at a later board meeting, but some sources suggested it could be voted on at the board’s next meeting later this month. The plan is opposed by the state Division of Rate Counsel, legislators and some business lobbyists.

Read the full story here

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NJ Republicans continue to pound Murphy over ocean wind policy

From the NJ Senate Republicans

He took $1 BILLION from utility customers and gave it to a HUGE foreign wind developer.

New Jersey families and businesses are already paying higher electric bills to build offshore wind farms.

Ørsted, a Danish company, was supposed to return that money to ratepayers to offset the cost of utility bills.

Instead, they threatened to walk away from their offshore wind project unless they got to keep the $1 BILLION.

Trenton Democrats IGNORED THE COST to New Jerseyans and RUBBER STAMPED THE BAILOUT.

ANOTHER WIND DEVELOPER is already lining up for ANOTHER BAILOUT that will raise utility bills even higher.

“Ørsted is realizing that wind farm projects don’t make economic sense without major government subsidies, so now they’re looking for a huge handout at the expense of utility customers. We shouldn’t give it to them.” – Senator Ed Durr (R-3), June 28, 2023.

“Democrats like Governor Murphy who often complain about corporate welfare had absolutely no problem giving $1 billion to a foreign wind farm developer at the expense of New Jersey ratepayers. Other wind farm developers are already lining up at the trough of big government begging for their own bailouts, which Governor Murphy is likely to give them.” – Senator Michael Testa (R-1), July 6, 2023.

Click here to watch the video.

If you like 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. Don’t take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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45’ TIBOR Tug Added to Barnegat Light Reef Site

From NJDEP Fish and Wildlife

On June 29, 2023, the NJFW Marine Resources Administration’s Artificial Reef Program sunk the 45’ TIBOR Tug on the Barnegat Light Reef Site. Built in 1957, the TIBOR Tug was originally used as a coastal tug around New York Harbor. It was also part of the Nautical Museum in Toms River for many years where it went into a state of disrepair.

Last year, Tibor Heteny, the vessel’s owner, donated it to the NJ Artificial Reef Program, specifically to be used as artificial reef habitat. The donation was graciously accepted and the Artificial Reef Program worked with Kurt Deyback at the Lighthouse Point Marina and Yacht Club in Toms River to ensure that the vessel met the requirements of the artificial reef guidelines for reefing vessels.

A special thank you to The Sportfishing Fund and the Beach Haven Charter Fishing Association for their help in making this possible.

TIBOR Tug Deployment Video

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Recycled glass from one NJ county plugged that massive I-95 hole

Plant manager Ryan Gregor holds handfuls of crushed glass at the Burlington County recycling facility in Westampton. All the crushed glass produced there goes to AeroAggregates, which uses it to create glass foam like that used to patch a fire-damaged portion of I-95 in Philadelphia.

P. KENNETH BURNS, WHYY NEWS | JULY 6, 2023

Much has been said about the fill material propping up the temporary lanes built after the I-95 collapse. Particularly, how the material, which looks like a wall of pumice stone, is made of processed, recycled glass.

To be clear, no one is driving over broken glass jars or beverage bottles.

Eddystone, Pa.-based AeroAggregates sourced the refill substance from a New Jersey plant.

‘It was full tilt’: The triumph of Eddystone’s Aero Aggregates in the Interstate 95 rebuild

For the past four years, Burlington County has provided more than 7,000 tons of glass to AeroAggregates to make their foam glass material.

*Burlinton County Commissioner Tom Pullion stands before piles of crushed glass at the county recycling facility in Westampton*.

“We wouldn’t have this type of recycled material available if our residents didn’t take the time to sort [it] out and recycle,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Tom Pullion. Overall, he adds, more than 84 million pounds of recyclable material — cardboard, glass, and plastic — has been kept out of landfills.

Pullion said the county and AeroAggregates have had a working relationship for the past several years.

“It’s been going quite well to the point that we manufacture approximately 10% of their total [amount of materials] for the year,” Pullion said.

The county collects recycling from all 40 of its municipalities.

Read the full story here

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New York State can and bottle redemption centers teeter on the edge of insolvency

Half have disappeared since 2008. State-mandated fees haven’t risen since then.

By Rick Karlin, Times Union

Jade Eddy, owner of MT Returnables, stands next to bags of empty cans and bottles returned for 5 cent deposits at her business in Queensbury. Eddy says that the 3.5 cents-per-item fee authorized by the state for bottle redemption centers to collect on the returnables they take in is too low to make a profit, causing some return centers to close.Will Waldron/Times Union

QUEENSBURY — When Jade Eddy’s dad lost his job with the closure of the International Paper plant in Corinth 21 years ago, he needed something to do so he opened a bottle and can redemption center. To jump-start his business, he would drive around town looking for bottles and cans.

“I thought he had lost his mind,” Eddy said.

Requiring relatively little money but plenty of sweat equity, redemption centers take in recyclable cans and bottles, giving people a nickel for each container.

Her dad has since passed away and Eddy has continued at the center, MT Returnables, building it into a going business.

But in recent years, she’s been struggling to hold on and she’s seen more and more redemption centers fall by the wayside.

Consumers in New York like most states put down a nickel deposit on every can or bottle of beer, soda or water they buy. And they get that 5 cents back when they return it, either at the supermarket, the convenience store or at one of the 1,171 redemption centers across the state.

But the redemption centers only get 3.5 cents for accepting the cans and bottles, sorting them and having them shipped off for recycling. That amount hasn’t increased since 2008 and Eddy says the Legislature would need to approve any increase in the fee she receives since it is mandated in the law.

Eddy says she is barely staying in business and expects to be operating at a loss later this summer.

Read the full story here

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EPA Seeks Public Comment on Clean Up of Contaminated Sediment at Quanta Resources Superfund Site in Edgewater, NJ

From the USEPA Region 2

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is seeking public input on its proposed cleanup plan to address contaminated sediment and surface water at the Quanta Resources Superfund site in Edgewater, New Jersey. A 30-day public comment period for the proposed plan begins July 7, 2023. EPA will host a public meeting at the Edgewater Community Center Gymnasium at 1167 River Road Edgewater, New Jersey, 07020, on July 25, 2023, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to explain the new cleanup proposal.

“EPA’s proposed cleanup plan will target a contaminated area of the Hudson River in Edgewater, where past industrial activities on the land have polluted the water and sediment,” said Regional Administrator Lisa F. Garcia. “Community input is key to our work on Superfund sites. EPA invites the public to join our meeting and get informed about the Quanta site and our proposed plan.”

The cleanup outlined in today’s proposed plan will address the sediment and surface water contamination in an area of the site called Operable Unit 2 (OU2). Sediment in OU2 is contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), highly concentrated tar-like material referred to as non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL), and arsenic.

Under the proposed plan, EPA would oversee work to:

Demolish the 115 River Road pier structure and remove other pilings and structures within the contaminated area.
Remove contaminated sediment to depths ranging from 10 to 30 feet and take it to a licensed facility off-site for disposal.
Place a cap over less contaminated areas of the river bottom to lock in residual contamination.
Establish “institutional” controls such as navigational restrictions, signs prohibiting swimming, wading or fishing, and other use restrictions to protect the cap.
Monitor sediment and surface water long-term to assess the effectiveness of the cleanup in preventing the migration of contaminants from sediment to surface water and maintaining the cap as needed.

Written comments on the EPA’s new proposed plan may be mailed or emailed to Thomas Dobinson, Remedial Project Manager, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 290 Broadway – 19th Floor, New York, NY 10007, Email: Dobinson.Thomas@epa.gov.

For more background and to see the proposed cleanup plan, visit the Quanta Resources Superfund site profile page.

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