Ag and Enviro bills in committee Thursday in Trenton


ASSEMBLY AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES
6/15/17  1:00 PM
Aide: (609) 847-3855
Room 15, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
For consideration:
A-446  Mazzeo, V. (D-2); Andrzejczak, B. (D-1);
Burzichelli, J.J. (D-3)
Directs DOT, NJTA, and SJTA to permit certain wineries
to participate in certain sign programs on freeways, interstate highways, and
toll roads.
Related Bill: S-102
      
A-2172  Taliaferro, A.J. (D-3); Andrzejczak, B. (D-1)
Exempts certain plenary winery licensees from filing
requirements imposed on retail sellers of litter-generating products.
      
A-2643  Burzichelli, J.J. (D-3)
Permits wineries to operate salesrooms in certain
municipalities with restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages.
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A-3047  Andrzejczak, B. (D-1); Taliaferro, A.J.
(D-3)
Creates viticulture trail tourist directional signs.
     
A-4426  Mazzeo, V. (D-2); Houghtaling, E. (D-11);
Andrzejczak, B. (D-1); Muoio, E.M. (D-15)
Provides tax credits to vineyards and wineries for
qualified capital expenses.
     
A-4427  Mazzeo, V. (D-2); Houghtaling, E. (D-11)
Establishes loan program and provides corporation
business tax and gross income tax credits for establishment of new vineyards
and wineries.
     
A-4974  Andrzejczak, B. (D-1); Land, R.B. (D-1)
Appropriates $5 million from General Fund to Dept. of
Agriculture for financial assistance to fishermen affected by 2017 reduction in
summer flounder and black sea bass harvest quotas.
     
A-4981  Andrzejczak, B. (D-1); Land, R.B. (D-1)
Extends eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits
to certain individuals affected by the 2017 reduction in flounder and black sea
bass harvest quotas.     
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ASSEMBLY ENVIRONMENT AND SOLID WASTE
6/15/17  2:00 PM
Aide: (609) 847-3855
Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
For consideration:
A-4996  Mukherji, R. (D-33); Mazzeo, V. (D-2);

Schaer, G.S. (D-36); Holley, J.C. (D-20); Land, R.B. (D-1)
Authorizes NJ Environmental Infrastructure Trust to
expend certain sums to make loans for environmental infrastructure projects for
FY2018.
Related Bill: S-3240
      
A-4997  McKeon, J.F. (D-27); Prieto, V. (D-32)
Clarifies procedures for approval of environmental and
transportation infrastructure projects.
Related Bill: S-3242
     
A-4998  Eustace, T. (D-38); Muoio, E.M. (D-15);
Moriarty, P.D. (D-4); Conaway, H. (D-7); Andrzejczak, B. (D-1)
Appropriates funds to DEP for environmental
infrastructure projects for FY2018.
Related Bill: S-3241
     
ACR-238  Mazzeo, V. (D-2); Eustace, T. (D-38);
Houghtaling, E. (D-11); Downey, J. (D-11); Zwicker, A.
(D-16); Gusciora, R.
(D-15)
Urges President Trump to rescind executive order
authorizing offshore oil and natural gas drilling.
     
ACR-246  Eustace, T. (D-38); McKeon, J.F. (D-27);
Chaparro, A. (D-33); Gusciora, R. (D-15)
Approves FY2018 Financial Plan of NJ Environmental
Infrastructure Trust. 
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Federal lawmen: Beware a president playing chummy

Former U.S. Attorney for New York State Preet Bharara

No smoking gun, perhaps, but a lesson still for all federal lawmen. 


When Donald Trump calls to ask how you’re doing, you have two choices: Play along or pack your bag.

Fired U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara says Trump tried to ‘cultivate’ relationship 

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Editorial: Why we must fight all plans to drill off NJ coast

From a June 11 NJBIZ editorial:

Back in the late 1970s and early 1980s, oil companies actually drilled exploratory wells off Atlantic City. They didn’t find significant enough deposits to continue the effort.
But here we are again.
New Jersey’s two U.S. senators and House members from coastal districts are opposing the latest push for offshore drilling, just as they have done every time this issue has bubbled to the surface, no matter their party. And the argument — a good one — against offshore drilling is always the same: Why endanger the state’s $44 billion-a-year tourism industry and the 500,000 jobs it supports? Half of that revenue is generated from counties along the coast. Offshore drilling could also threaten the state’s $7.9 billion-a-year fishing industry and the 50,000 jobs it creates.
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Deal, NJ tries to add beach, parking fees, then backs down



Jacqueline L. Urgo reports for Philly.com that Deal, NJ has withdrawn its plan to require expensive beach tags and high-priced parking permits. 


The episode, Urgo writes, “was another in a long list, going back to the 1970s, in which this mile-long Monmouth County enclave of multimillion-dollar beachfront estates has drawn accusations of contriving to limit public access to its beaches.”


Read the story here


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Another review for another pipeline through the Pinelands


David Levinsky reports for the Burlington County Times:
The New Jersey Pinelands Commission is preparing to begin its review of another controversial natural gas pipeline, this one through a portion of northern Burlington County and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.
The commission voted Friday to approve a resolution detailing its planned review process of New Jersey Natural Gas’ proposed Southern Reliability Link pipeline through northern Burlington, Monmouth and Ocean counties.
The 30-mile pipeline must be approved by the commission because a portion of it is planned to run through the million-acre Pinelands reserve, which is home to numerous rare and threatened plants and animals, as well as pristine drinking water.
The move to begin reviewing the process comes on the heels of the commission’s vote in February to approve another controversial natural gas pipeline planned by South Jersey Gas in the southernmost portion of the protected Pines.
It also comes shortly after the commission received a May 11 letter from attorneys representing New Jersey Natural Gas asking that the commission move forward.
Both pipelines have drawn significant opposition from environmental groups that fear approval of the gas infrastructure will cause destruction in the sensitive region.
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NJ lawmakers vote to halt DEP Highlands septic tank rule


Assembly votes to stop state agency from boosting number of septic tanks in pristine preserve, source of drinking water for millions in NJ

Tom Johnson reports for
NJ Spotlight:
Upset with a new rule they say threatens water supplies from the Highlands, lawmakers gave final approval yesterday to a measure that could block its implementation by the Christie administration.
By a 52-24 vote, the Assembly moved to bar the state Department of Environmental Protection from changing regulations to allow more development in the region, the source of drinking water for six million residents.
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The vote sets up another confrontation between Democratic lawmakers and the administration over the latter’s efforts to overhaul the state’s environmental regulations, a continuing dispute during the past seven years.
The resolution stipulates that the new rule, just recently adopted by the DEP, is inconsistent with legislative intent, a rarely used tool that allows lawmakers to block actions by the executive branch. The resolution (ACR-192) was approved without debate.
The DEP has 30 days to either amend or withdraw the regulation, widely opposed by the state’s environmental groups. If no action is taken, the Legislature can rescind the rule by approving the resolution again.

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