EnviroPolitics Blog

Bill protecting students’ media freedom signed in New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. – School districts and institutions of higher education must adopt policies protecting students’ freedom of expression under legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Hal Wirths and signed by Governor Phil Murphy on Tuesday.

The legislation (A169 / S108) gives student journalists in public schools, as well as public colleges and universities, the right to determine the content of school-sponsored media like newspapers and blogs, and exercise freedom of speech.

“Student journalists often serve as important watchdogs by holding those in power accountable for their actions. Unfortunately, school-sponsored media is more easily censored,” Wirths (R-Sussex) said. “This new law upholds the principles of the First Amendment. Free student press gives budding journalists a platform to share stories that should not be suppressed.”

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Except in cases where a story is libelous, obscene, incites violence or constitutes an unwarranted invasion of privacy, student reporters have the right to free speech under the law.

“We live in a world where it is all too easy to tune out differing or uncomfortable opinions or viewpoints, but it is critical to a free society that we allow everyone to express themselves. We should never be afraid to print the truth and should always encourage the freedom of press,” Wirths added.

Under the law, schools must have a written policy concerning students’ right to free speech in place by the first full school year after enactment.

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NJ Senate advances bill to establish energy efficiency standards

From the NJ Senate Democrats

TRENTON – In an effort to improve New Jersey’s energy and water efficiency, earlier this week the Senate advanced legislation sponsored by Senator Bob Smith, which would establish minimum energy and water efficiency standards for appliances sold in the State.

The bill, S3324, would require certain products sold, offered for sale or leased in the state to meet or exceed efficiency standards. The energy and water efficiency standards in the bill would be based on various sources including specifications from federal programs such as ENERGY STAR and WaterSense, and from criteria developed and adopted by the California Energy Commission.

“By 2050, our goal as a state is to greatly diminish our emissions, and this bill will bring us one step closer to achieving that goal,” said Senator Smith (D-Middlesex / Somerset). “These new standards will not only help us decrease how much harmful emissions we emit, but we can help both homeowners and the State conserve water and electricity, ensuring consumers will save money over time by remaining efficient. Higher efficiency standards for our products will be a great asset for our residents and the environment.”

Products regulated under the bill would include goods such as new air purifiers, certain fluorescent lamps, certain commercial kitchen appliances, computers, monitors, showerheads, toilets, urinals, portable electric spas, residential ventilating fans, and water coolers.

The bill was released from the Senate by a vote of 26-13.

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A political brawl over natural gas

The question of whether to restrict the use of natural gas has become part of America’s culture wars.

By Brad Plumer New York Times

This month, New York City moved to ban gas hookups in new buildings, joining cities in blue states like California, Massachusetts and Washington that want to shift homes away from burning natural gas because it releases carbon dioxide, which causes global warming. Instead, developers in New York City will have to install electric heat pumps and electric kitchen ranges in newly constructed buildings.

But the growing push to electrify homes has triggered a political backlash: At least 20 mostly red states including Arizona, Georgia, Florida, Ohio and Texas have passed laws that forbid their cities from restricting gas use. Most of these bills have passed in the last year, backed by the natural gas industry and local gas utilities.

Quotable: “The message was: ‘You don’t want these California liberals telling you that you can’t have a gas stove,’” said Mary Boren, an Oklahoma state senator, describing the reaction to proposed restrictions in her state.

You can read the full article here.

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Major New York energy provider signals pivot to renewables

By Kristoffer Tigue Inside Climate News

One of New York City’s largest power suppliers is ditching its plan to refurbish a fossil fuel “peaker” plant in Brooklyn and is proposing to build 350 megawatts of carbon-free battery storage in its place. It’s a bold pivot for an industry that has been reluctant to take the state’s climate law seriously, surprising even some environmentalists who have been fighting the peaker plant plan—and other fossil fuel projects in the state—for years. Today’s Climate breaks down what could be a watershed moment for the state’s fight against climate change.

Eastern Generation, which generates nearly 18 percent of New York City’s electricity and is an affiliate company of ArcLight Capital, announced last week that it was withdrawing its proposal to convert an aging oil-and-gas-fired power plant into a brand new gas-fired one. The company also announced it would retire two of the plant’s oil-fired units as soon as November of next year, six months ahead of schedule, citing the state’s climate law for the changes in its plans. The company said that it is “well positioned to assist in the transition to a carbon free future.”

So-called “peaker” plants only operate during times of high demand, such as particularly hot or cold days. In New York, environmental justice groups have targeted such facilities, saying they play an outsized role in polluting low-income neighborhoods and communities of color and contribute to climate change.

Related energy and environment news:
EASTERN GENERATION SCRAPS PLANS FOR GOWANUS POWER PLANT

But the reneged plan isn’t an isolated victory for environmental activists, who have long hoped that New York’s climate law would prevent the spread of new fossil fuel infrastructure across the state. In fact, Eastern Generation’s announcement may mark the first time a company has withdrawn a proposal in anticipation that it would conflict with New York’s climate mandates, which include transitioning the state’s power sector to net-zero emissions by 2040 and reducing overall greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.

Read the full story

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Recycle Act clears Congress and is sent to President Biden

By Hannah Zuckerman, Scrap News

Late on Friday, Nov. 5, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan INVEST in America Act by a 228–206 vote. Supported by 13 Republicans and all but six Democrats, the legislation goes to President Joe Biden to sign into law.

The $1 trillion infrastructure bill, which the Senate passed in August, focuses on improving the nation’s roads and bridges, freight and passenger rail, and communications systems, and investing in environmentally sustainable energy. “The INVEST Act represents a rare opportunity to greatly improve our nation’s physical infrastructure that will lead to lasting improvements as well as help ease the supply chain shortages,” comments Billy Johnson, ISRI’s chief lobbyist.

Several important components for the recycling industry lie within the infrastructure bill’s 2,700 pages: the $75 million Recycling Enhancements to Collection and Yield through Consumer Learning and Education (RECYCLE) Act, $150 million for critical mineral and battery recycling, and $100 million for the Environmental Protection Agency’s pollution-prevention program.

The bipartisan and bicameral RECYCLE Act “provides public awareness, education, and much needed clarity for residential recycling programs in the United States,” Johnson says. It authorizes a $15 million annual EPA grants program to help educate consumers about residential and community recycling. Its goal is to decrease contamination in the recycling stream and support recycling infrastructure.

ISRI was instrumental in developing the RECYCLE Act and collaborating with the measure’s sponsor, Sen. Rob Portman of Ohio. He introduced the bill in 2019 and it was introduced to the 117^th Congress on March 23. “The idea is to fix the problem before it happens,” Johnson explains. “If the recycler receives good material at the start, then it’s easier to get a higher value and better commodity.”

Click to read the full story

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