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| The New Jersey Assembly’s Agriculture Committee will meet tomorrow, February 13, at 10 a.m. on the 4th Floor of the State House Annex, in Committee Room 15. The committee will consider; |
| A2773 | Allows certain preserved farms to hold 14 special occasion events per year; imposes further event restrictions on residentially-exposed preserved farms. | |
| A2774 | Provides that the executive director of the State Agriculture Development Committee is appointed by Governor. | |
| A2775 | Extends pilot program authorizing special occasion events at wineries on preserved farmland. | |
| ACR117 | Determines that the State Agriculture Development Committee’s rule to implement a pilot program allowing certain wineries to hold special events is inconsistent with legislative intent. |
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Agriculture bills in committee in Trenton Read More »
The Delaware River Basin Commission (DRBC) is looking for individuals with relevant expertise to fill several non-reserved positions on its newly-formed Advisory Committee on Climate Change (ACCC).
The nine non-reserved members will represent the following stakeholder categories:
The members will be appointed by the DRBC’s Executive Director; preference shall be given to individuals actively working on climate change impacts, preferably in the Delaware River Basin.
If Interested in a Non-Reserved Member Position on the ACCC:
Full details are available here
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Would you like to serve on the DRBC’s Advisory Committee on Climate Change? Read More »
Nina Chestney reports for Reuters
LONDON (Reuters) – Global carbon dioxide emissions from power production flattened last year to 33 gigatonnes after two years of increase, even though the world economy expanded, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Tuesday.
The growth of renewable energy and fuel switching from coal to natural gas led to lower emissions from advanced economies. Milder weather in several countries and slower economic growth in some emerging markets also contributed, the agency said.
Late last year, international climate experts warned that global temperatures could rise sharply this century with “wide-ranging and destructive” consequences after greenhouse gas emissions hit record levels in 2018.
Governments face a deadline this year to set more ambitious emissions cut targets under the 2015 Paris Agreement, a global climate pact aimed at limiting global warming this century.
“We now need to work hard to make sure that 2019 is remembered as a definitive peak in global emissions, not just another pause in growth,” said Fatih Birol, the IEA’s executive director.
“We have the energy technologies to do this, and we have to make use of them all,” he said.
The fall in CO2 emissions in advanced economies offset growth elsewhere.
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Global CO2 emissions from power generation flatten out Read More »
The bill would establish a national container deposit system, ban single-use plastic products and set recycled content requirements. Staunch opposition is expected from industry trade groups.
E. A. Crunden reports for WasteDive
Federal lawmakers debuted the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act on Tuesday, after months of build-up kicking off what is likely to be a heated fight over the legislation. The bill would enshrine extended producer responsibility (EPR) for plastic bottles, packaging and assorted items, along with creating a national container deposit system.
Rep. Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.) and Sen. Tom Udall (D-NM), who have been working on the legislation since last summer, joined with Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) to sponsor the legislation. The bill is co-sponsored by more than two dozen other House members, as well as five additional senators. So far, no Republicans have signed on.
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Udall cited growing public concern over marine debris and plastic pollution as a motivating factor, in addition to heightened scrutiny over unstable scrap commodity markets, on a Monday call with reporters.
“Our plastic pollution process has reached a tipping point and the American people are fed up,” said Udall, who also cited climate change as another incentive, given that plastics largely come from oil refineries. One 2019 report from the Center for International and Environmental Law found the plastics industry is on track to produce as many emissions as more than 600 coal-fired power plants by mid-century.
The act comes in the midst of a significant uptick in federal legislation focused on waste and recycling. Several of the bills currently in play are popular with industry, thanks to their focus on issues such as infrastructure and education. But the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act homes in on supply chain issues more directly, a contrast the lawmakers emphasized.
“Ours is the only bill in Congress that deals with the source of the problem,” Udall asserted.
Stefan Nicola reports for Bloomberg
Automakers from Tesla Inc. to Ford Motor Co. are developing ever-sleeker, futuristic-looking electric cars. Volvo AB has something a little chunkier in the race: the battery-powered garbage truck.
The Swedish company will start producing electric versions of its brawny trash haulers next month starting with Europe, with cities from Hamburg to Gothenburg to Zurich already signed up to buy. Volvo says it expects its two new electric models, which can be used for a variety of heavy-duty urban jobs, to do well because they’re emissions-free and much quieter than diesels, whose engines fire up when they lift a dumpster.
Surprisingly, these hulking trucks offer some compelling advantages for electrification. Garbage vans typically follow regular daily routes that rarely exceed 60 miles (97 kilometers), easing range concerns. And with frequent stops, they return energy to the battery each time the driver hits the brakes.
“We believe this technology can be a large contributor to reducing emissions,“ said Anna Thorden, product manager for electric mobility at Volvo Trucks. “Electric trucks are beneficial for drivers, cities and the global climate.“
While diesel remains the most popular fuel source for trucks, ahead of natural gas, it faces restrictions that will likely boost demand for battery-powered vehicles, said Nikolas Soulopoulos, an auto analyst at BloombergNEF.
City centers are becoming increasingly hostile environments for combustion vehicles. Paris, Madrid, and Hamburg have already introduced limited bans on older diesel cars, and Barcelona, London, and Rome plan to keep them out altogether by the end of this decade.
“For these kinds of jobs, electrification has real potential,” Soulopoulos said. “Cities are worried about air pollution and are making it much more expensive for diesel trucks to come in.”
Volvo is offering two versions, one weighing 16 tons and a larger model clocking in at 27 tons. The company wouldn’t say how much they will cost, though Soulopoulos estimates the sticker prices for the first generation of heavy-duty e-trucks will be about double their diesel equivalents. But by the middle of this decade the total cost of ownership will be about the same due to their lower maintenance costs and fuel consumption, BNEF predicts.
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The humble urban garbage truck gets a high-tech battery makeover Read More »
