NJ to allow steel slag use in construction

By NJ Assembly Republicans

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey will now allow steel slag, a byproduct of the steel and iron recycling process, to be used in construction fill for certain industrial and commercial developments and remediation projects without the need for additional Department of Environmental Protection approval.

 In May, the Assembly concurred with the governor’s recommendations to align the uses for steel slag in the bill (A642) with those that the DEP had previously identified as qualifying for exclusion from solid waste regulations. The governor signed the bill into law on Friday.

 “Not only does steel slag help to reduce construction costs, but since it is produced through recycling, it is also a sustainable alternative to other aggregate materials,” said Assemblyman Ron Dancer (R-Ocean), a prime sponsor of the measure. “This law lessens our reliance on natural resources like sand and gravel while offering an environmentally sound and economical fill option for developers in New Jersey.”

Under the new law, the use of steel slag cannot cause a violation of drinking and groundwater quality standards, and steel slag remains subject to DEP oversight when it is used in ways not covered by the law.

The Federal Highway Administration estimates that between 7.7 and 8.3 million tons of steel slag are used each year in the United States. The primary applications are its use as a granular base or as an aggregate material used in asphalt or concrete. It can be used as a clean fill in remediation projects where contaminated soil has been removed.

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Wharton State Fire consumes 12,000 acres; still burning but mostly contained; campground spared

Previous coverage

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NJ forest fire reaches 11,000 acres, likely human-caused

Fire officials have “ruled out natural causes” in their investigation of a blaze that’s spread to more than 7,200 acres of the Pinelands.

Shawn LaTourette, the state Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said the Mullica River Fire​ could spread to 15,000 acres before it's completely contained. That would make it the largest fire in 15 years, he said at a Monday press conference.
Shawn LaTourette, the state Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said the Mullica River Fire​ could spread to 15,000 acres before it’s completely contained. That would make it the largest fire in 15 years, he said at a Monday press conference. (Shutterstock)
By Nicole Rosenthal and Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Patch Staff
Posted Mon, Jun 20, 2022, at 7:18 am ET4 Updated Mon, Jun 20, 2022, at 3:52 pm ET

SOUTH JERSEY — New Jersey officials have “ruled out natural causes” in their investigation of a fire that’s spread to more than 11,000 acres of the Wharton State Forest as of Monday afternoon.

Shawn LaTourette, the state Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said the Mullica River Fire could spread to 15,000 acres before it’s completely contained. That would make it the largest fire in 15 years, he said at a Monday press conference.

“We’ve got to take our use of our natural resources very seriously,” said LaTourette. He and other officials mentioned several ways humans can accidentally cause fires but did not point to any specific one as the reason this latest burn began.

As of 3:18 p.m. Monday, the fire has reached 11,000 acres and is 50 percent contained. The fire was first reported Sunday morning, officials said. No injuries have been reported.

The forest fire service said its firefighters are setting backfires to assist in containing the fire, which is in the heart of the Pine Barrens. Wharton State Forest is the largest tract of land in New Jersey, encompassing more than 110,000 acres in Atlantic, Burlington, and Camden counties. Smoke could be seen as far east as Long Beach Island, the Twitter account LBIweather said. The plume was also visible on the National Weather Service radar.

Read the full story here

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How best to bring wind power ashore in NJ

Thursday, June 23rd, 2022 from 4:00 PM – 5:15 PM

Please join us for this NJ Spotlight News virtual roundtable as we discuss how the offshore wind industry can best bring wind power ashore while protecting public and business interests.

Opening remarks:
Kris Ohleth, Executive Director, Special Initiative on Offshore Wind

Panelists:
Janice Fuller, President, Mid-Atlantic, Anbaric
Suzanne Glatz, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Interregional Planning, PJM Interconnection
Doug O’Malley, State Director, Environment New Jersey
Madeline Urbish, Head of Government Affairs and Policy, New Jersey, Ørsted

Moderator:
Rhonda Schaffler, Business Correspondent, NJ Spotlight News

See other education and networking opportunities in Enviro-Events Calendar

 
       

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‘Rolling outages’ of diesel fuel prompts Pa governor to allow sales of out-of-state fuel

By Ford Turner, The Morning Call, Jun 17, 2022, at 3:30 pm

HARRISBURG — The Wolf administration on Friday acknowledged “rolling outages” of diesel fuel across the state and said it was temporarily dropping a biodiesel requirement — a move that will allow out-of-state diesel to be sold in Pennsylvania.

A trucking industry official told The Morning Call that one of the entities that could not find diesel fuel recently was an ambulance company.

Word of the administration’s action on biodiesel was conveyed by Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding to Gov. Tom Wolf in a letter dated Friday that was shared with the newspaper.

Earlier this week, Republican lawmakers heard testimony that spot outages of diesel were being seen, and that a widespread outage would be “devastating” to the economy.

Read the full story here

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Philly Lands a Whale-2026 Soccer World Cup

Philadelphia will host games in the 2026 men’s soccer World Cup, the first time the city has hosted the world’s biggest sports event. Jose F. Moreno / Staff Photographer

By Jonathan Tannenwald, Philadelphia Inquirer Jun 16, 2022, at 5:53 pm

Just after 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Philadelphia’s place in the sports world changed forever.

After many years of waiting, the city for the first time officially became a host of a men’s soccer World Cup, the planet’s biggest and most famous sports event.

In 2026, Philadelphia will be among a group of co-hosts of a sporting spectacle: 48 national teams combining to play 80 games across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The other host cities will be Toronto and Vancouver in Canada; Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco (Santa Clara, really), and Seattle in the United States; and Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey in Mexico.

Boston’s bid was the surprise inclusion. Washington’s joint bid with Baltimore was the most surprising exclusion. Cincinnati, Denver, Edmonton, Orlando, and Nashville also missed the cut.

MetLife Stadium to host 2026 World Cup soccer games (nj.com)
The U.S. cities hosting the 2026 World Cup (NPR)
Seattle one of 10 US cities to host 2026 World Cup (Seattle Times)

The announcement was made by FIFA, world soccer’s governing body, during a TV show broadcast from Manhattan to the world. Hershey’s Christian Pulisic, the biggest star of the U.S. men’s team, was part of the show. And there were jubilant celebrations by a crowd at LOVE Park in Center City that included fans, local youth players, and representatives from the city, the Eagles, and the Union.

Among them was Union captain Alejandro Bedoya, who played for the United States at the 2014 men’s World Cup. Some of his current and former colleagues — including Pulisic, Downingtown’s Zack Steffen, and Medford’s Brenden and Paxten Aaronson — could play in the 2026 tournament. Pulisic, Steffen, and Brenden Aaronson are on course to play in this fall’s edition in Qatar, and they star for some of the world’s most famous club teams.

They’re all familiar with a chant popularized by Union fans, then adopted by the Eagles, that was taken from English soccer fan culture: “No one likes us, we don’t care.” Those words have been proven false. The world’s most popular sport likes Philadelphia very much.

Read the full story here

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