EnviroPolitics Blog

Stephen N. Adubato Sr., a potent force in N.J. politics, is dead at 87

Stephen N. Adubato, founder of the North Ward Center in Newark.Jennifer A. Hulshizer | Star-Ledger file photo

By Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Years ago, Stephen N. Adubato Sr. ordered up a fake tombstone inscribed with his name and the epitaph he insisted he would take to the grave: He was not a nice guy.

The tombstone was kept on display in his office, as a reminder.

“Nice guys,” he said with disdain, “are those who sit back and do nothing.”

The North Ward Center Inc., a non-profit community service organization he started up in the wake of the city’s 1967 riots, announced Adubato’s death on Friday, saying that he “left a legacy of hope and opportunity for thousands of people.” No cause was given. He was 87.

“He was an original. A character to some, a teacher to others,” said the center, now headed by his daughter, Michele. “He was fondly called “Big Steve” by hundreds of children, and the name stuck, because in many ways he was larger than life.”

A potent, behind-the-scenes force in New Jersey politics whose unseen influence could be felt all the way from Newark City Hall to the Statehouse in Trenton, Adubato was a central political figure, and often a polarizing one, in the state’s largest city and beyond; an old-school power broker who delivered votes — and elections — to those he favored.

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Senate environment committee to meet Monday in Trenton

The Senate Environment and Energy Committee will meet at 10 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2020 in Committee Room 6, 1st Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ.

Due to the public health emergency, the State House Annex remains closed to visitors and members of the public will not be allowed to attend the meeting in person. However, the public may monitor the Committee proceedings on the New Jersey Legislature home page, at https: / / www.njleg.state.nj.us /

The following bills will be considered:

*Revised 10 / 16 / 20 – S697 removed from consideration.

S894 (Pou) – Prohibits sale of paint or coating removal products that contain methylene chloride unless purchaser meets certain safety standards for use.

S975 (Kean) – Establishes trunk fighting as animal cruelty offense and crime of the third degree.

S1034 (Stack) – Provides for spaying and neutering stray or feral cats and establishes fund therefor; designated as “Compassion for Community Cats Law.”

S2515 (Smith) – Establishes recycled content requirements for plastic containers, glass containers, paper carryout bags, reusable carryout bags made of plastic film, and plastic trash bags; prohibits sale of polystyrene loose fill packaging.

Editor’s note: We have learned that the committee will not vote Monday on S2515. The bill is undergoing revision. Chairman Bob Smith is expected to address the bill’s status, likely at the beginning of the meeting.

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Partnerships to strengthen remote and island communities’ energy resilience launched by Department of Energy

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hs announced the Energy Transitions Initiative Partnership Program (ETIPP), a new partnership that will provide resources and access to on-the-ground support for remote and islanded communities in the United States seeking to transform their energy systems and lower their vulnerability to energy disruptions.

This cross-sector initiative will build on tools developed by DOE, pool the technical assets of community-based organizations, and engage DOE’s national labs to work alongside communities pursuing energy transitions. Together, this broad coalition will empower competitively selected communities to plan for, withstand, and recover from energy disruptions.

“Remote and islanded communities face some of the highest energy costs in the United States and are often most vulnerable to disruptions,” said Daniel R Simmons, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “By leveraging, refining, and building on the technical assets and resources of the Department of Energy, and working in partnership with these communities, we believe that this program can enable communities to plan for a more resilient future with more affordable energy.”

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Stormwater, non-point pollution on Assembly panel agenda

The New Jersey Assembly Special Committee on Infrastructure and Natural Resources will meet remotely on Thursday, October 22, 2020 at 2:30 PM.

The committee will receive testimony on stormwater control and reducing nonpoint source pollution in the State’s waterways. Topics include harmful algal blooms, combined sewer overflows, stormwater utilities, and gray and green stormwater infrastructure.

Due to the public health emergency, the State House Annex remains closed to visitors. The public may not attend the committee meeting in person but may view the meeting via the New Jersey Legislature home page at https://www.njleg.state.nj.us/.

The committee will take oral testimony from invited guests during the meeting by telephone or video. The public is encouraged to submit written testimony electronically. Written testimony will be included in the committee record and distributed to the committee members. Written testimony should be submitted to OLSAideANR@njleg.org. Invited guests will be sent instructions in advance on registering to testify and submitting written testimony for the committee record and distribution to the members.

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Trump reverses course on California wildfire disaster declaration petition

By Caroline Kelly, CNN

President Donald Trump approved California’s request for a presidential disaster declaration to help combat the state’s record-setting wildfires, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday, a day after the administration initially rejected the request.

“Just got off the phone with President Trump who has approved our Major Disaster Declaration request. Grateful for his quick response,” Newsom said in a statement Friday.

The back and forth comes after the White House said Thursday that California’s request for a presidential major disaster declaration was rejected because it was “not supported by the relevant data.” Thirty-one people have died as a result of the wildfires and more than 9,200 structures have been destroyed.

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Exelon, DTE deny reports of non-utility asset sales

By Emma Penrod, Utility Dive

DTE Energy and Exelon Corp deny having any immediate plans to sell or spin off non-utility assets despite anonymous reports to Bloomberg, with a spokesperson for DTE calling the Bloomberg reports “market speculation” and Exelon indicating the company had reviewed the pros and cons of divestiture only as part of a routine review.

Lack of confirmation notwithstanding, current market conditions could push regulated utilities to spin off generation assets to manage risk in the face of a transition to renewable energy, according to The Brattle Group Principal Johannes Pfeifenberger.

While regulatory restructuring triggered the last to two waves of divestitures in the energy industry, cost-competitive renewable energy could trigger a new cycle of restructuring if renewables continue to outcompete coal and even low-priced natural gas, Pfeifenberger said.

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