EnviroPolitics Blog

New Jersey releases $16M in grants to promote community recycling programs

From an NJDEP news release

The Murphy Administration is awarding nearly $16.2 million in grants to communities across the state to help them enhance waste reduction and recycling programs, Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn M. LaTourette announced today.

“New Jersey has long set a national example for recycling, starting with being the first state to enact a recycling law in 1987,” Commissioner LaTourette said. “This annual grant program provides an incentive for communities to strengthen their municipal recycling initiatives, encourage children and adults to keep our environment clean, and provide assistance in helping to reduce the local tax burden while also improving quality of life.”

The awards are based on 2020 recycling performance, the most recent year for which data is available. Municipalities must use their grants for various recycling initiatives that may include sponsoring household hazardous waste collection events, providing recycling receptacles in public places, or maintaining leaf composting operations. The 2020 awards maintain the amount distributed for 2019 performance.

Grants are awarded through the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act and are funded through a $3 per ton surcharge on trash disposed statewide at solid waste facilities. As required under the state’s Recycling Enhancement Act, the DEP returns 60% of that money to municipalities based on how much recycling each community reports accomplishing during the calendar year. The remaining funds are divided, with 30% going to counties, 5% to colleges and universities, and 5% for administrative costs.

By The Numbers: Solid Waste

For the calendar year 2020, New Jersey generated 20,997,099 total tons of solid waste, which represents disposal (9,474,871 tons) and recycling (11,522,228 tons) reported by municipalities and, in limited instances, counties.

The overall tonnage of materials reported as recycled and as disposed of both decreased slightly in 2020 from 2019, leading to a slight decrease in the overall recycling rate, to 55% in 2020 from 56% in 2019. Solid waste includes municipal waste plus construction debris and other types of non-municipal waste.

By The Numbers: Municipal Solid Waste (MSW)

For the calendar year 2020, New Jersey generated 9,474,871 tons of MSW, which represents disposal (6,005,468 tons) and recycling (3,837,039 tons) reported by municipalities and, in limited instances, counties.

Recycling increased in 2020, leading to a 39% MSW recycling rate compared to 38% in 2019.

Total tonnage of recycled MSW increased to 3,837,039 tons in 2020 from 3,685,664 tons in 2019. The tonnage of disposed MSW decreased from one year to the next, leading to the increase in the MSW recycling rate.

The amount of disposed MSW in 2020 was 6,005,468 tons, compared with 6,073,324 tons the year before.

By The Numbers: Grants

Local governments receiving grants of more than $100,000 for 2020 recycling efforts are:

Bergen County: Paramus, $126,835
Camden County: Camden, $102,291; Cherry Hill, $166,073
Cumberland County: Millville, $128,791; Vineland, $475,250
Essex County: Newark, $264,896
Gloucester County: Logan, $200,307
Hudson County: Bayonne, $133,677; Jersey City, $319,944; North Bergen, $194,090; Secaucus, $189,204; Union City, $107,408
Mercer County: Hamilton, $182,395; Robbinsville, $115,210
Middlesex County: Cranbury, $104,954; East Brunswick, $121,623; Edison, $217,583; Old Bridge, $116,123; Perth Amboy, $105,862; Piscataway, $111,758; South Brunswick, $197,631; Woodbridge, $261,930
Morris County: Parsippany-Troy Hills, $122,176
Ocean County: Brick, $129,047; Lakewood, $167,897; Toms River, $157,645
Passaic County: Clifton, $143,693; Passaic, $104,958; Paterson, $265,641; Wayne, $108,837
Somerset County: Bridgewater, $172,767

For a complete list of grants, by municipality, visit www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycling/stats.htm

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Federally assisted orphan well cleanup in Pa underscores the enormity of the task

An abandoned oil well in a residential yard in Ohio Township, Pa. Photographer: Bobby Magill/Bloomberg Law

By Bobby Magill, Bloomberg Law

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland visited the Pittsburgh area Thursday to announce the plugging of the first 10 abandoned oil and gas wells in the area paid for with funds from the 2021 infrastructure law.

But with 27,000 known abandoned oil wells to plug across Pennsylvania and possibly hundreds of thousands more left to discover, the announcement underscored the daunting task ahead for Congress and the federal and state agencies in charge of finding and capping oil and gas wells.

Haaland, standing in front of a derelict oil well in Ed and Mary Vojtas’ front yard in Ohio Township, Pa., said the well is leaking gas and will be one of the state’s first to be plugged with federal infrastructure money.

“These wells emit methane, they litter the landscape with rusted dangerous equipment posing safety hazards and threats to wildlife,” Haaland said. “Many of these wells have been left behind in backyards.”

Pennsylvania, the birthplace of America’s oil industry, has more documented orphaned wells than any other state. Its effort to plug the state’s orphaned wells using federal infrastructure funding starts soon, with 10 wells in the Pittsburgh area, Richard Negrin, acting director of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said, speaking alongside Haaland.

Interior Secretary Deb Haaland speaks about orphaned oil wells in Ohio Township, Pa., on Feb. 9, 2023. Photographer: Bobby Magill/Bloomberg Law

Until now, Pennsylvania was able to plug “only a handful” of abandoned wells annually, but federal funding will allow the state to plug 235 wells in 2023, Negrin said.

Millions of Wells to Cap

Read the full story here

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Soaring energy prices motivating Connecticut buildings to move to solar

By Braley Dodson, News 8

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — Pete Rappoccio knew he wanted solar panels on Sign Pro’s new building.

It was 2018. The manufacturing facility was set to be about 40,000 square feet, housing printers, and welders. Solar wasn’t a very common feature at the time, but it was a fresh site, and he knew it was time to take the leap.

“It was always something I looked at, and I looked forward to as a possibility,” he said.

About 890 solar panels went onto that roof in Plantsville — enough to power 1,340 houses. Since then, the business has tripled its number of employees, built another facility and is using the extra electricity it’s generated to power a new electric vehicle fleet.

“It’s pretty huge,” Rappoccio said.

From the beginning, that meant not having to pay the supply portion of the company’s Eversource bill. After adding a solar bank to store that extra energy to use at night, Sign Pro is now completely off the grid.

“We’ve been very happy with our solar program and what we’ve done is any surplus money, we’ve reinvested into our company,” Rappoccio said.

It’s a gamble that has already paid for itself, with the cost of the new storage bank alone recouping the price of the investment within four months.

And with Connecticut electric companies increasing prices by 50% this year, Rappoccio is glad for that decision he made just a few years ago. He now advocates for other businesses to also make the switch.

“If you see the amount that comes back, it’s amazing,” he said.

Read the full story here

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Loggers forecast a ‘huge effect” if Fort Drum’s biomass plant cannot stay open

ReEnergy is scheduled to close in March 2023 if the state doesn’t support their petition to stay open

By Zach Grady, 7 News, Waretown, NY

FORT DRUM, New York (WWNY) – You don’t normally think about where the wood goes when Bill Elliott & Sons Tree Service cuts down a tree. A large amount of the wood waste is sent to Fort Drum and its Biomass plant. A plant that is set to shut down.

“Huge effect. Right now, we generate about 60,000 yards a year of wood waste. About 45,000 of that goes to ReEnergy,” said Justin Elliott, Co-Owner of Bill Elliott & Sons Tree Service.

The biomass plant provides Fort Drum with all of its power, not needing power from National Grid.

ReEnergy CEO Larry Richardson says more than 300 jobs could be lost if the plant does closes in March.

“It will affect probably two employees at our place; a guy in the yard, and a truck driver,” said Elliott.

The issue is what’s now considered as renewable energy. Those that are, like hydro and wind, are eligible for state tax incentives. Those that aren’t, like biomass, do not.

Richardson says “Although we enjoy strong local support, including our local state legislators, we were unable to secure the support we needed from the State Legislature or Public Service Commission.”

ReEnergy needs support from the state by month’s end or else the company says it’ll start the process of closing.

Read the full story here

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Solar farms are a growing cash crop for farmers in Sussex County, Delaware

More and more solar panels will be constructed throughout Sussex County as county officials act on several applications for rural projects. RON MACARTHUR PHOTO

By Ron MacArthur, Cape Gazette

Solar farms are rapidly becoming another cash crop for Sussex County farmers. Over the past two years, three solar projects have been approved, another six are pending a decision by Sussex County Council and another was introduced during the council’s Jan. 20 meeting. All of the projects are located on farmland.

In Sussex County, conditional-use applications are required because solar farms are not a permitted use in AR-1, agricultural-residential, zoning.

The largest project to date was approved in 2022. Freeman Solar has plans to construct a 75-megawatt solar farm with 166,500 panels on 10 parcels totaling 351 acres on Calhoun Road near Milford.

Two other projects have been approved:

• Broom Solar Partners – 3 megawatts on 35 acres on the north side of Frankford School Road near Pyle Center Road near Frankford

• Heimlich Solar Partners – 4.5 megawatts with 16,000 solar panels on 35 acres on the east side of Mile Stretch Road and near the Delaware Electric Cooperative facility near Greenwood. Many of the proposed solar fields will provide power to the cooperative.

Pending are:

Read the full story here

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Staten Island residents force developers to cancel plans for lithium-ion battery storage

Community asks: Are lithium-ion battery storage facilities safe?

New Leaf Energy has withdrawn plans for a lithium-ion battery storage facility that was slated to be built in the parking lot of Our Lady of Pity R.C. Church in Bulls Head. (Staten Island Advance/Jan Somma-Hammel)

By Jessica Jones-Gorman , Staten Island Advance|

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – After community members and local leaders voiced concerns about the location of a proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility, condemning its purported placement in close proximity to a church and six local schools, developers have announced their intention to officially withdraw project plans.

“A rep from New Leaf Energy called my office this morning and told me the company will be rescinding their application,” said Assemblyman Sam Pirozzolo, (R-Mid-Island/North Shore) who represents the 63rd district and has been vocal about community opposition to the project.

“Although these facilities are beneficial to our distribution grid, due to the risk of fire and exposure to toxic chemicals, this has no place in school or residential zones. This project lacked concern for public safety and common sense, and my office will always stand up to protect their children and neighborhoods. I will move forward with introducing legislation at the state level to prevent these situations from occurring in sensitive zones in the future,” he added.

According to information provided by New Leaf, the battery energy storage system (BESS) was intended to include six large-scale rechargeable lithium-ion battery systems manufactured by Tesla, each one capable of storing up to 20 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity. Con Edison would store energy produced during periods of low demand there, and then draw power from the facility during peak hours.

Read the full story here

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