EnviroPolitics Blog

Pennsylvania set to join New Jersey, 10 other states in carbon-discouraging RGGI compact

The Homer City Generating Station, a coal-fired power plant in Indiana County, is one the plants locals are concerned could shutter under RGGI, a proposed cap-and-trade program to limit carbon emissions. (Capital-Star photo by Stephen Caruso)

By Stephen Caruso, Pennsylvania Capital-Star

Electricity generators will have to pay for the carbon they release into the atmosphere after the state’s regulatory review board approved Pennsylvania’s entrance into an interstate initiative to address climate change.

The compact, known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, or RGGI, will apply to 58 power plants across Pennsylvania, mostly coal and gas burning, that accounted for 75 million metric tons of carbon into the atmosphere in 2017, according to the most recent state data. That’s roughly a third of the state’s total annual carbon emissions.

It was approved in a 3-2 vote by the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on Wednesday, which has a final say on all state regulations, after hearing nearly six hours of testimony.

Before the policy is enacted, the Republican-controlled state Legislature could still attempt to overrule Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on the measure. And legal challenges appear likely.

RGGI opponent, State Rep. Pam Snyder testified before the Independent Regulatory Review Commission on the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. Snyder says RGGI will close down the coal plants in Greene County and leave hundreds without jobs.

“I don’t think anyone would be willing to bet that there won’t be court actions on either side, depending on what the final result is,” the panel’s chairperson, George Bedwick, said.

However, environmental groups still cheered the approval, saying that it would be the most important action the state has taken to date to tackle climate change.

“We hope that polluters and their political allies stop attempting to put up roadblocks to participating in this program and get on the bandwagon in support of strong policies that will reduce our carbon footprint to solve the climate crisis,” PennEnvironment Executive Director David Masur said in a statement.

Related energy/environment news:
Pa.’s RGGI rule, which would put a price on carbon dioxide, nears finish line after oversight board vote

The rule will require plant owners to purchase a credit for each ton of carbon they release each year. At the most recent auction, they averaged almost $8 per ton of carbon.

Those credits are purchased at auction every year, and fewer credits are offered each time, gradually lowering the amount of carbon that can be legally released.

Revenue from the auction is then split among the states, which can spend it on environmental and energy initiatives.

Read the full story here

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Ban more new warehouses on farmland, New Jersey lawmakers say

State Senate President Steve Sweeney looks to move after the election to add to a bill already in Assembly to curb development

By Jon Hurdle, Contributing Writer, NJ Spotlight

Towns would be unable to designate farmland for commercial redevelopment under legislative proposals that are aimed at curbing warehouse sprawl in New Jersey.

Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Sen. Dawn Addiego (D-Burlington) are now looking to exclude farmland from redevelopment or rehabilitation under the Local Redevelopment and Housing Law of 1992, which allows municipalities to designate land for those purposes.

The proposal has already been made in an Assembly bill (A-5793) introduced by Assemblymen Parker Space (R-Morris, Sussex, Warren) and Eric Houghtaling (D-Monmouth) on June 1. The Senate version is expected to mirror the Assembly’s.

Ongoing warehouse boom prompts renewed calls for broader regulation

A Senate bill, expected to be introduced after the November elections, would change the definitions of redevelopment and rehabilitation under the law so that farmland can’t be used for commercial development such as warehouses.

“In the last few years, we have taken great lengths to protect our state’s farmlands,” Sweeney said in a statement last week. “By taking these steps to exclude farmland from being classified as a redevelopment area or rehabilitation area, we are further ensuring the protection of these vital spaces and preventing further warehouse sprawl, which will help keep New Jersey green for decades to come.”

Read the full story here

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Crews save California town near Lake Tahoe; wildfire rages on

By Fred Greaves Reuters

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif., Sept 1 (Reuters) – South Lake Tahoe stood smoke-filled and largely deserted on Wednesday after crews fought back a huge, wind-driven wildfire, leaving the California resort town unscathed as flames crept on toward Nevada.

U.S. President Joe Biden approved a declaration of emergency in California and ordered federal assistance to boost local responders’ efforts to battle the Caldor fire, the White House said.

Biden’s action authorized coordination of disaster relief measures by the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the White House added.

The Caldor fire, burning since mid-August in the Sierra Nevada range, still threatened homes and businesses near Lake Tahoe, abetted by gusty, bone-dry conditions.

But forecasts called for winds to significantly subside Thursday and Friday, giving firefighters a chance to make more headway and consolidate their gains.

“Over the next couple of days, we’re going to see the weather change, and we’re going to see the fire behavior slacken … to the point where we can actually get in there and do some good work,” Steve Volmer, a fire behavior analyst with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), told a community briefing on Wednesday evening.

South Lake Tahoe, the biggest town along the rim of North America’s largest alpine lake in a region renowned as an outdoor recreational hub and world-class ski area, had appeared to be in grave danger 24 hours earlier.

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From the LA Times

Caldor fire is reflected off Caples Lake near Kirkwood ski resort Wednesday.

BY ANITA CHABRIA, RUBEN VIVES, HAYLEY SMITH
SEP. 1, 2021 UPDATED 9:30 PM PTKIRKWOOD, Calif. —

Helicopters thudded high above South Lake Tahoe on Wednesday as columns of thick, black smoke snaked skyward from distant ridges. Fire crews — more than 18 days into the fight against the raging Caldor fire — dug hand lines, bulldozed earth and bombed the blaze with water and retardant in an all-out effort to keep flames at bay.

It all seemed, at least in part, to be working.

The fire roared to more than 200,000 acres in size Wednesday but stayed mostly clear of the popular resort town. Firefighters also managed to protect many of the homes in Christmas Valley and Meyers, both within the Tahoe basin.

Officials confirmed some damage on the outskirts of the Sierra-at-Tahoe ski resort late Wednesday night, said Assistant Chief Jamie Moore, a Los Angeles firefighter working as part of the state’s interagency effort on the Caldor fire.

“They did lose some outbuildings, but the main lodge was not damaged,” Moore said.

A cost estimate was not available, he said.

Photos: Evacuation order issued for South Lake Tahoe as Caldor fire threatens

Yet even as officials expressed some optimism, a new possibility was looming as the head of the fire moved east toward the Nevada state line.

As of Wednesday night, the fire was burning about 5 miles away from the state line, Moore said.

“I’d be surprised if it doesn’t make it to Nevada in the next day or so,” said Craig Clements, a professor of meteorology and director of the Wildfire Interdisciplinary Research Center at San Jose State University.

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Trenton transfers two vacant lots to TerraCycle for expansion of the company’s recycling operations

Global Recycling Company Expanding Headquarters in Capital City

From a news release

Trenton Mayor W. Reed Gusciora has today the transfer of two vacant city lots on New York Ave to TerraCycle, a global waste innovation company, located in 22 countries, that is looking to expand its operations in the Capital City.

A closing ceremony took place on Aug. 30, 2021, outside TerraCycle headquarters in Trenton. Mayor Gusciora was joined by TerraCycle Founder and CEO Tom Szaky, City Council Vice President Marge Caldwell-Wilson, Greater Trenton CEO George Sowa, and the new Trenton Director of Housing and Economic Development C. Andre Daniels.

After growing rapidly during the pandemic and adding 150 jobs, TerraCycle is seeking additional space for its expanding team. As a major local employer, the City of Trenton has worked with TerraCycle to transfer two vacant lots on New York Ave adjacent to TerraCycle headquarters so it can continue to grow in the Capital City.

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A resolution authorizing the transaction was previously approved by City Council in September 2020.

“TerraCycle has always been serious about its commitment to the Capital City, and its vision of repurposing recyclable materials worldwide speaks directly to Trenton’s industrial past,” said Mayor Gusciora. “This is one of many ways Trenton is working with its business community to help return underutilized properties to the tax rolls and promote further employment and economic activity.”

“We’ve been proud to call Trenton our home for almost two decades and by working with the city and Mayor Gusciora, we look forward to continuing to do so for decades to come,” said Tom Szaky, TerraCycle Founder and CEO. “Anyone looking to locate their business in the Northeast should absolutely consider Trenton as a place to put down their roots.”

Read the full story here

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New York State DEC Celebrates the Conservationist’s 75th Anniversary

DEC’s popular magazine, the Conservationist, turns 75 this year! The first issue of the magazine was published in August of 1946 and had some familiar themes, including an article about a new law called the Forest Practice Standards Act, articles promoting the many recreational opportunities found at Cranberry Lake in St. Lawrence County, and the challenges faced by the Conservation Department (DEC’s predecessor) in constructing fire towers in the Adirondack and Catskill backcountry.

That first issue of the Conservationist generated more than 9,000 reader letters, swamping the mailroom with subscription requests, suggestions, and questions. In addition to the bread-and-butter natural resource articles of its early days (e.g., hunting, fishing, forestry), the magazine grew to include more articles about environmental quality (e.g., air, water, and land pollution control) as the nation’s environmental consciousness grew after the first Earth Day in 1970. That was also the day the Conservation Department became the Department of Environmental Conservation.

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Throughout our 75-year history, the Conservationist has sought to entertain and educate, and to motivate people to make a positive difference in our world. To reference a concept that has been used to describe the cumulative impacts of water pollution runoff: while each of us may not think our individual actions make a difference, taken together, our voices and actions are magnified, and our collective efforts can bring about important environmental change for our local communities, which often benefits our state and nation, and our future.

To encourage new subscribers and in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the magazine, DEC is offering a special $2 subscription rate for both in-person and online subscribers, including gift subscriptions, to the Conservationist during the upcoming Great New York State Fair, August 20 – September 6, 2021. This special rate will be limited to 7,500 online and in-person subscribers.

To start receiving the Conservationist at home and in your email box, subscribe today by visiting DEC’s website or calling 1-800-678-6399.

A Toolkit for Incorporating Food Waste in Municipal Climate Action Plans

DOWNLOAD REPORT

Authors: Linda Breggin, Akielly Hu, and Sam Koenig

Climate change and food waste are two key challenges faced by municipalities across the country. Cities are on the front lines of efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. They are also responsible for managing increasing volumes of solid waste and feeding the growing number of food-insecure members of their communities. While cities are making headway in addressing both of these intractable challenges, many are missing a key opportunity to address them simultaneously—in their climate action plans.

This toolkit is intended to fill a gap by providing municipalities and stakeholders with model provisions that will make it easier to incorporate food waste measures into municipal climate action plans. The toolkit provides an easily accessible menu of options that include measures to prevent food waste, rescue surplus food, and recycle food scraps.

This report and other resources on food waste reduction are available through ELI’s Food Waste Initiative.

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