PSEG files for a whopping $900M to keep the lights on

If BPU approves filing, ratepayers could shell out $900 million over three years, but independent market monitor says units will operate in the black through 2021


salem creek nuclear


Credit: Creative Commons



Tom Johnson reports
for NJ Spotlight:
PSEG Nuclear yesterday became the first nuclear plant owner to seek hundreds of millions of dollars in ratepayer subsidies to keep its three generating units in South Jersey open.
In a voluminous filing with the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities that filled nearly 200 boxes, the company is seeking to be awarded so-called zero-emission certificates, which are subsidized by a surcharge to be added to all utility customers’ bills. The filing could cost $300 million a year over the next three years, if approved.
After business hours yesterday, no other company had filed an application with the BPU to qualify for the subsidies, according to a spokesperson for the agency. Nuclear plants outside New Jersey are allowed to seek the credits under the law.
The proposed subsidies are part of a measure signed by Gov. Phil Murphy last spring after a bitter legislative battle that Public Service Enterprise Group, the parent of PSEG Nuclear, mounted to prop up its nuclear plants. Without new financial incentives, the company argued the plants faced the prospect of closing.

PSEG claims closing plants would spike bills

Nationwide, six nuclear plants have closed prematurely in recent years as they faced steep economic challenges stemming from cheap natural gas in a competitive energy marketplace. If PSEG closes its plants, consultants for the company contend they would be replaced by fossil-fuel units that would spike ratepayer bills by as much $400 million.
But critics of the proposed subsidies have argued that PSEG has yet to provide any information that its plants are not profitable. Those arguments have been fortified by Joseph Bowring, the independent market monitor for PJM, the operator of the nation’s largest power grid.

PSEG files for a whopping $900M to keep the lights on Read More »

Tasmania has created a road made from recycled waste


Lorraine Chow reports for EcoWatch:

A local government in Tasmania found a clever way to recycle single-use plastics and other landfill-bound waste by building a new road.

The 500-meter (1,640-foot) stretch outside the city of Hobart is made of approximately 173,600 plastic bags and packaging, as well as 82,500 glass bottle equivalents diverted from landfill, the Kingborough council announced Tuesday.

Toner from approximately 5,900 used printer cartridges and more than 33 tons of recycled asphalt were also repurposed to create the 330 tons of asphalt used to construct the road along Charlton Street in the town of Snug, the council added.
It’s the first road of its kind in the Australian state.

The council built the road in order to reduce its environmental footprint, Kingborough Councillor Richard Atkinson told Australia’s ABC News reported.
“If you work out how much single-use plastic is in this 500 meters of road, it’s about equivalent of two years of single use plastic collected from Kingborough,” he explained to the publication. “If it’s successful we’ll continue to use it for all the rest of our roads.”

Although the product is more expensive, Atkinson said it would be cheaper for council in the long run. The road is estimated to last 15 percent longer than a regular asphalt road, according to ABC News.

“Council is thrilled to be leading the way in diverting products from landfill and using them in a sustainable and innovative way,” Kingborough mayor Dean Winter in said Wednesday’s announcement.

The council partnered with road construction company Downer, resource recovery and recycling companies Close the Loop and RED Group to build the road.


Tasmania has created a road made from recycled waste Read More »

What’s behind the Rutgers’ billboards in Dallas, Miami?

Rutgers has placed billboards in the three College Football Playoff cities.

Rutgers has placed billboards in the three College Football Playoff cities. 

James Kratch reports for NJ.com:

Rutgers is going to the College Football Playoff.
Kind of.
Pictures and posts about Rutgers football billboards in Florida and Texas have appeared on social media in recent weeks, leaving many stumped. Were they a recruiting ploy? Some sort of glitch or mistake? Or something else.
The athletics department has enjoyed the mystery and speculation – that was all part of the plan – but here’s the answer: The billboards are part of Rutgers’ kickoff for next year’s celebration of the 150th anniversary of the first college football game with Princeton. They were specifically placed in the three cities that will host CFP games – Dallas for the Cotton Bowl, Miami for the Orange Bowl and Santa Clara, California, for the national championship game – in order to make a “brand statement” in spots the national college football media and thousands of fans will be descending upon.
Rutgers’ goal? To get people at the three playoff games talking about the Scarlet Knights on social media and spreading the program’s brand. And if that means a lot of “What the hell is Rutgers doing with a billboard here?” tweets, so be it.
Full story here
Like this? Click to receive free updates

What’s behind the Rutgers’ billboards in Dallas, Miami? Read More »

Pre-holiday storm leaves 10,000 without power in NJ


Tom Davis reports for The Patch, National Staff:

New Jersey was dealing with the impact of a windy, rainy storm that could affect holiday season travel on Friday. Nearly 10,000 were without power on Friday morning.
Wires were reported down, closing roads like Route 17 in Bergen County and elsewhere. A power outage in Hoboken left more than 5,000 without electricity. Newark had more than 2,000 without power.
More rain was expected on Friday morning and a flood warning was in effect throughout the state. Read more: Route 17 Closed Because Of Downed Wires In Paramus
Toms River officials are warning motorists to be alert to flooded roads Friday as a result of several hours of heavy rain. Read more: Flooded Roads Prompt Warning From Toms River OEM
Many flights at Newark Liberty International Airport were also delayed or canceled as holiday travelers waited anxiously for help.
Long Beach Boulevard on Long Beach Island was starting to flood and will be closed from 31st to 92nd streets. Flooding was also impacting trains in Hoboken and elsewhere.

Hoboken photo courtesy of sean the don ‏

An area of low pressure moving up the spine of the Appalachians could result in a widespread 2-to-3-inch rainfall across the region. Around 4 inches are possible in North Jersey. Rainfall may be heavy at times, according to the National Weather Service.
Rain and possibly a thunderstorm could happen before 2 p.m., then showers are likely between 2 and 4 p.m. There is a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4 p.m.
Here are the alerted areas:

Here are the towns impacted by power outages:
  1. HOBOKEN 5,816
  2. WEST NEW YORK TOWN 3,306
  3. NEWARK 2,274
  4. MIDDLETOWN 1,063
  5. PLAINSBORO TWP 800
  6. TEWKSBURY TOWNSHIP 607
  7. RIDGEFIELD BORO 447
  8. HOLLAND TOWNSHIP 391
  9. WAYNE TOWNSHIP 306
  10. CALIFON BOROUGH 297
  11. DELAWARE TOWNSHIP 277
  12. PARAMUS BORO 207
  13. FAIRVIEW BORO 182
  14. RARITAN TOWNSHIP 179
  15. HARMONY TOWNSHIP 125
  16. HILLSDALE BORO 114
  17. WOODCLIFF LAKE BORO 83
  18. MOUNT LAUREL TWP 73
  19. Wenonah Boro 70
  20. ROCHELLE PARK TWP 67
  21. PARSIPPANY TROY HILLS TOWNSHIP 65
  22. RIDGEWOOD VILLAGE 65
  23. PEQUANNOCK TOWNSHIP 62
  24. LITTLE FERRY BORO 52
  25. FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP 44
  26. SANDYSTON TOWNSHIP 44
  27. ASBURY PARK CITY 39
  28. BETHLEHEM TOWNSHIP 35
  29. MEDFORD TWP 26
  30. ENGLEWOOD CITY 24
  31. Winslow Twp 18
  32. MILLSTONE TOWNSHIP 18
  33. MAYWOOD BORO 17
  34. CLIFTON CITY 15
  35. GREEN TOWNSHIP 12
  36. BERGENFIELD BORO 12
  37. ALEXANDRIA TOWNSHIP 9
  38. LEBANON TOWNSHIP 8
  39. KNOWLTON TOWNSHIP 8
  40. FLEMINGTON BOROUGH 7
  41. OLD BRIDGE TOWNSHIP 7
  42. HANOVER TOWNSHIP 7
  43. LONG BRANCH CITY 6
  44. WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP 5
Here are the flooding spots and impacts on traffic:
  • NJ 44: Flooding on NJ 44 in both directions area of CR 656/Paradise Rd in West Deptford Twp. 1 lane may be closed use caution.
  • US 30: Flooding on US 30 eastbound East of NJ 50/CR 563 in Egg Harbor City. 1 lane may be closed use caution.
  • NJ 47: Flooding on NJ 47 southbound North of CR 624/West Rio Grand Ave in Lower Twp. 1 lane may be closed use caution.
  • NJ 147: Flooding on NJ 147 westbound at Maryland Av in Middle Twp. 1 lane may be closed use caution.
  • NJ 47: Flooding on NJ 47 southbound South of CR 740/Mackeys Ln in Maurice River Twp. Right lane closed use caution.
  • US 40: Flooding on US 40 in both directions from East of CR 608/Franklin Av in Egg Harbor Twp to East of Dorset Av in Atlantic City. All lanes closed and detoured use caution.
  • I-80: Flooding on I-80 eastbound area of Exit 60 – NJ 20 in Paterson. Left lane closed 30-35 minute delay.
  • US 130: Flooding on US 130 in both directions North of NJ 45 in Westville. 1 lane may be closed use caution.
  • US 1: Flooding on US 1 southbound at Raymond Rd in South Brunswick Twp. Jughandle closed.
  • US 22: Flooding on US 22 eastbound I-287 in Bridgewater Twp. Partial ramp closed.
  • US 9W: Flooding on US 9W southbound South of Hollywood Av in Englewood Cliffs. 1 lane closed 5-10 minute delay.
  • NJ 440: Flooding on NJ 440 northbound South of Pulaski St in Bayonne. Right lane closed 5-10 minute delay.
  • NJ 21: Flooding on NJ 21 southbound ramp to Exit 9 – NJ 3 in Clifton. Ramp closed and detoured 5-10 minute delay.
  • I-28: Accident on I-287 northbound South of Exit 44 – US 202 in Boonton. All lanes temporarily closed.
  • I-295: Accident on I-295 southbound at Exit 13 – US 130 in Logan Twp. All lanes closed and detoured use caution, 15-20 minute delay.
  • NJ 17: Downed wires and a Transformer fire on NJ 17 in both directions South of Century Rd in Paramus. All lanes closed and detoured 40-45 minute delay.
  • Outside Agency Assist: Garden State Parkway southbound entering at Exit 163 – NJ 17 in Paramus. Ramp closed due to downed wires on route 17 and Century Rd.
  • Accident on the Garden State Parkway southbound North of Asbury Toll Plaza in Tinton Falls. Right shoulder blocked.
  • Accident: Garden State Parkway northbound South of Exit 136 – Stiles St in Clark Twp. Right shoulder blocked.
  • NJ 63: Downed wires on NJ 63 in both directions North of CR 48/Fairview Av in Fairview. All lanes closed and detoured 10-15 minute delay.
  • New Jersey Turnpike: Disabled tractor trailer on the New Jersey Turnpike outer roadway northbound ramp to Joyce Kilmer Service Area in East Brunswick Twp. Right shoulder blocked.
  • Garden State Parkway : Accident on the Garden State Parkway southbound South of Exit 36 – CR 651/US 322/US 40 in Egg Harbor Twp. Right shoulder blocked.
  • I-78: Overturned tractor trailer on I-78 westbound East of Exit 13 – NJ 173 in Union Twp. Left and center lanes closed 15-20 minute delay.
  • NJ 36: Traffic Signal Down on NJ 36 northbound at Atlantic St in Keyport. Right lane closed use caution.
  • Watermain break on Essex Street eastbound at Hudson Street in Hackensack. All lanes closed until further notice.
Photo courtesy of (Stone Harbor)

Pre-holiday storm leaves 10,000 without power in NJ Read More »

NJ joins big court fight to halt Trump off-shore drilling plan

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and DEP Deputy Commissioner Debbie Mans announce New Jersey's participation in a multi-state environmental lawsuit. (Courtesy OAG/Tim Larsen)

Attorney General Gurbir Grewal and DEP Deputy Commissioner Debbie Mans announce New Jersey’s participation in a multi-state environmental lawsuit. (Courtesy OAG/Tim Larsen)


Michael Sol Warren and S.P. Sullivan report for NJ.com:

Officials in New Jersey and eight other states are taking President Donald Trump’s administration to court over its decision to allow seismic testing off the Atlantic coast, a move widely seen as the first step toward off-shore oil and gas drilling.

“The federal government is putting the fossil fuel industry above New Jersey’s residents, above the environment, and above the law,” state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal told reporters at a press conference in Belmar, one of the Jersey Shore towns state authorities say would be hurt by fossil fuel exploration along the coast.

New Jersey is joining Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Delaware, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and New York in opposing the decision by the federal government to allow preliminary scientific testing that could harm marine mammals.

Seismic geophysical surveys are conducted to map the ocean floor and determine areas where oil and gas may be. The process uses airguns towed by ships to blast compressed air into the ocean, creating sound waves that reach the ocean floor and bounce back to a receiver, where the sound waves are measured to determine what materials lie beneath that section of the Earth’s crust.

Seismic testing is incredibly loud. The effects of the blasts on marine life are not fully understood, but scientists are increasingly worried about the impacts on endangered whales and other species, according to an NPR report.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, also called NOAA Fisheries, last month issued “incidental harm authorizations” to five companies seeking to perform such tests. In the lawsuit, the states claim that NOAA Fisheries violated three federal laws meant to protect wildlife and the environment by issuing the authorizations.
New Jersey and the other states claim that NOAA Fisheries violated the Endangered Species Act, the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. The nine states are joining a lawsuit filed by environmental groups earlier this month in U.S. District Court in South Carolina.
Read the full story
Like this? Click to receive free updates

NJ joins big court fight to halt Trump off-shore drilling plan Read More »

Enviros ask BPU, Pinelands to stop natural gas pipeline

If either agency consents, it could force New Jersey Natural Gas to halt construction of the pipeline, which began earlier this month in Plumsted, Ocean County, and is proceeding at the company’s “own risk,” meaning the utility will accept responsibility for the expense of restoring any disturbed property if the courts end up scuttling the project.
David Levinsky reports for the Burlington County Times:
TRENTON — Two environmental groups have asked the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities and the state Pinelands Commission to order a utility company to stop construction of a controversial natural gas pipeline through northern Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Both agencies already have approved construction of the 30-mile pipeline, but those decisions are under appeal, and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance and the New Jersey Sierra Club want the two agencies to suspend their approvals until the litigation is resolved.
If either agency consents, it could force New Jersey Natural Gas to halt construction of the pipeline, which began earlier this month in Plumsted, Ocean County, and is proceeding at the company’s “own risk,” meaning the utility will accept responsibility for the expense of restoring any disturbed property if the courts end up scuttling the project.
The transmission feed, called the Southern Reliability Link, is planned to run from a compressor station another utility company has built off Route 528 in Chesterfield and travel west through North Hanover, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst and other towns in Monmouth and Ocean counties to a connection with the utility’s distribution system in Manchester, Ocean County.
New Jersey Natural Gas insists the project is critically important to the reliability of gas delivery to its more than 1 million customers, mostly in Ocean and Monmouth counties because it will provide a second transmission feed to its territory.
But opponents have waged an unrelenting battle against the project, arguing that the close proximity of the compressor station and pipeline route to residences and businesses in Bordentown Township, Chesterfield and North Hanover will pose a significant safety and pollution risk.
Environmental groups also argue the infrastructure promotes hydraulic gas drilling in Pennsylvania, which they say pollutes water and contributes to climate change.
In their request, the two environmental groups argue that the appeals are likely to be successful and that New Jersey Natural Gas places its ratepayers at risk by proceeding with the appeals still unresolved.

Enviros ask BPU, Pinelands to stop natural gas pipeline Read More »