The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has announced the extension of its Intermodal Cargo Growth Incentive Program (PICGIP) until July 2027, continuing its efforts to boost containerized cargo movement through Pennsylvania ports.
The program, which provides up to $1 million annually to participating ocean carriers, offers $25 per new container unit for carriers establishing new services at Pennsylvania ports. Success of the initiative is evident in the 2024 figures, with PhilaPort handling over 840,000 containers and PSA Penn Terminals processing 357,000 containers.
“Pennsylvania’s ports are critical to our transportation network and to our economy, and growth at the ports means growth in the Commonwealth,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll.
In a strategic move to enhance Asian trade routes, the program has introduced special incentives for carriers establishing new service lines from Southeast or Far East Asia. These carriers can earn $25 per container unit with an increased annual cap of $500,000, double the standard carrier cap of $250,000.
Since its 2015 inception through PennDOT’s Multimodal Fund, the program has facilitated the movement of over 3 million cargo units through Pennsylvania ports, resulting in more than $7 million in incentives awarded across nine ocean carriers.
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From the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
TRENTON – People and organizations that go above and beyond to advance recycling and sustainability are eligible to be nominated for the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection’s annual recycling awards program, Commissioner of Environmental Protection Shawn M. LaTourette announced today.
The DEP, in partnership with the Association of New Jersey Recyclers (ANJR), is accepting nominations for awards in 11 categories. Those interested in submitting a nomination may view the 2025 Nomination Packet for more information about the awards program, which includes nomination applications. Nomination forms may be emailed to njrecycles@dep.nj.gov through Friday, July 25.
“New Jersey’s longstanding recycling success is due to the hard work of many volunteers, students, stakeholders, businesses and government agencies, who work hard to make our state more sustainable,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “The DEP encourages the public to nominate those whose recycling endeavors not only keep our environment clean, but enhance public health, benefit our economy and create a better New Jersey for all.”
How to Nominate Recycling Leaders
Nominations will be accepted in categories including Institution, Business, Retail Merchant, Government, Leadership, Rising Star, Recycling Industry, Outstanding Educator/Educational Program, Volunteer Citizen, Waste Reduction/Resource Management/Sustainability, and Recycled Products Procurement Star.
A panel of judges from DEP’s Air, Energy & Materials Sustainability Program and the Association of New Jersey Recyclers will review nominations based upon criteria including the nominee’s ability to demonstrate measurable outcomes, commitment to education and outreach, replicability of their efforts, innovation, and going above and beyond compliance requirements. Those chosen for an award will be notified in September and honored at a recognition ceremony this fall.
“We encourage people and organizations throughout New Jersey to nominate those in their communities who make recycling a priority, have helped educate residents and businesses on the importance of reducing waste and keeping our recycling stream free of unacceptable items and are committed to keeping our environment clean and healthy,” said Paul Baldauf, Assistant Commissioner for Air, Energy & Materials Sustainability. “The results of their efforts should be highlighted to demonstrate to others how they are making a difference across the state.”
A History of Recycling Success
The 2024 award winners included a business that recycles or reuses 96% of the waste it generates; a non-profit organization that fights food insecurity and the environmental impacts of food waste by recovering and delivering healthy meals in local communities; a middle school that implemented a highly successful recycling collection program for plastic bags, plastic case and product overwrap and plastic pallet wrap; and a textile recycling and reuse business that has kept millions of pounds of old clothing out of landfills.
New Jersey has long been a national leader in recycling, becoming the first state in 1987 to pass legislation requiring recycling. Since then, recycling has become routine for residents, businesses, and institutions, and has proven over the years to be an environmental and economic success story.
The Association of New Jersey Recyclers is a non-profit, non-partisan network representing the public and private sectors that works to promote recycling, waste reduction and sustainability by encouraging sound resource management and recycling strategies through education, advocacy and enhancing professional standards.
Follow DEP’s Air, Energy & Materials Sustainability program on Facebook @NJDEPAEMS
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In response to revelations that unauthorized communication devices—potentially linked to foreign adversaries—have been found embedded in Chinese-manufactured solar power inverters, Senator Doug Steinhardt (R-23) issued the following statement:
“The recent discovery of rogue communication devices underscores a chilling reality: our critical infrastructure is vulnerable, and New Jersey’s leadership is asleep at the wheel. Allowing hostile foreign governments like China to potentially penetrate our technology and energy networks is not just an economic issue—it’s a serious and growing national security threat.”
“This is no longer a hypothetical danger. We are now seeing tangible evidence that surveillance tools from adversarial nations are operating undetected in systems that power our homes and communities and in this instance, CCP spy tech is hiding in plain sight.”
“I’ve been sounding the alarm on this for years and Governor Murphy and Trenton Democrats must stop dragging their feet. I am calling on them, again, to immediately pass my legislation to ban foreign adversaries from any access to New Jersey’s infrastructure and technology.”
Senator Steinhardt is the sponsor of several key bills aimed at defending New Jersey from foreign adversaries and protecting the State’s strategic resources:
S728: Prohibits government entities from procuring and using technology products and services from companies owned by, controlled by, or domiciled in certain foreign countries.
S731: Prohibits foreign companies created under the laws of foreign adversaries from participating in critical infrastructure.
S723: Restricts all ownership of agricultural land in the State by foreign governments and foreign persons.
S3591: Prohibits ownership of certain protected land adjacent to military facilities in the State by certain foreign governments and persons.
“We cannot afford to let our energy systems, our food supply, or any strategic assets fall into the hands of those who wish us harm,” Steinhardt concluded. “The time to act is now.”
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(TRENTON) – Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr.’s legislation, crafted in response to an industrial fire in Camden City earlier this year, recently cleared the Assembly Environment, Natural Resources, and Solid Waste Committee. The February 21st fire displaced residents, shuttered roads, and led to environmental and health concerns.
“Though the flames of this fire have long been extinguished, the questions and anguish by residents still remain,” said Assemblyman Moen (D-Camden, Gloucester). “As a legislator and someone whose family has called the city of Camden home for 5 generations, I share the community’s concerns. This package of bills seeks to minimize the chances that a fire of this magnitude can happen again.”
The industrial fire at a recycling facility forced the evacuation of approximately 100 residents, including senior citizens, disabled residents, and children. The owner of the company where the fire broke out determined that the fire was likely caused by a lithium-ion battery that was wrongly sent to the scrap recycling facility. Currently, the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety has a fact sheet outlining the risks of lithium-ion battery fires as well as how to safely use and dispose of them.
One bill, A5533, would establish requirements for receipt and purchase of scrap metals containing propulsion batteries, including but not limited to lithium-ion batteries.
Another bill, A5535, would prohibit owners or operators of scrap metal facilities from storing or processing automotive shredder residue without first obtaining a permit from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. It would also amend the “Solid Waste Management Act” to define “hazardous waste” and “automotive shredder residue.”
Bill A5534 would require any business that receives a state economic development subsidy and is found to have violated state environmental laws to forfeit either 20 percent of the subsidies or the total costs to address the environmental incident, whichever is greater. The bill would also require the proceeds of any payments received by the State to be deposited into a new Environmental Incident Recovery Fund, which would be used to reimburse residents impacted by certain environmental incidents.
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Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement comes less than a month before a statewide rate hike scheduled to begin on June 1.
Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a series of executive actions on Wednesday that he said will help New Jersey residents manage electric costs ahead of a rate hike scheduled to begin on June 1. (Shutterstock)
NEW JERSEY — Gov. Phil Murphy unveiled a series of executive actions on Wednesday that he said will help New Jersey residents manage electric costs ahead of a rate hike scheduled to begin on June 1.
The announcement comes two weeks after the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) said it would require New Jersey’s four electric utility companies — Atlantic City Electric, PSE&G, Jersey Central Power & Light and Rockland Energy — to come up with plans to mitigate overall bill impacts to residential customers during high usage summer months.
The state also asked the utility companies to defer rate increases until later in the year during lower-usage months, as well as identify other opportunities to stabilize rates and provide cost-saving opportunities wherever possible.
Murphy’s office said the filings were received by May 7.
“New Jersey ratepayers are preparing for an unprecedented increase in utility costs,” Murphy said in a statement. “While the utilities are not responsible for the rate increases, they have a responsibility to protect ratepayers. It’s clear that New Jersey’s four hometown electric utilities need to deliver more reasonable options.”
In Wednesday’s announcement, Murphy said he plans to build on his administration’s previous efforts by implementing several additional measures to mitigate utility costs. Those measures include:
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Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi has asked university trustees to approve closing seven of its commonwealth campuses because the current statewide model “subsidizes decline,” according to internal records obtained by Spotlight PA.
“Fulfilling our land-grant mission does not require a four-year campus in every corner of Pennsylvania,” the president wrote. Instead, under the proposal, online classes could replace some in-person offerings and a leaner university with fewer locations could invest in the parts of Pennsylvania where Penn State believes it can still succeed.
Bendapudi has proposed closing Penn State’s DuBois, Fayette, Mont Alto, New Kensington, Shenango, Wilkes-Barre, and York campuses. More than 500 employees and thousands of students would be affected by the move.
“These are not just campuses; they are homes, launching pads, and sources of deep pride. And yet … if we delay action, the pressures we face—demographic, financial, competitive—will continue to mount. In time, those forces will make decisions for us, not with the care, intention, or commitment to students and communities that this process allows,” Bendapudi wrote to trustees.
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