The Colorado Fire, burning in Monterey County, has charred 1,500 acres and was just 5 percent contained on Saturday.
By Kat Schuster, Patch staff
The Colorado Fire burns along Highway 1 near Big Sur, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (Nic Coury/AP Photo) BIG SUR, CA — A wildfire fire that ignited Friday evening in the Big Sur area was still raging on Saturday morning, scorching 1,500 acres, Cal Fire reported.
The blaze was dubbed the Colorado Fire and was just 5 percent contained as of Saturday morning, fire officials said.
Residents of the north coast of Big Sur were told to evacuate on Friday as the fire in the Palo Colorado canyon quickly swelled to more than 250 acres just a few hours after the fire started.
Officials shut down Highway 1 in both directions from Andrew Molera State Park to Carmel-By-The-Sea, according to local reports. The American Red Cross was setting up a shelter at a middle school.
A wind advisory had been issued in the Bay Area for Friday night through Saturday morning, though meteorologists said strong winds were most likely in higher elevations, according to the National Weather Service.
A fire at a New Jersey chemical plant with flames and smoke visible for miles in the night sky Friday spread to multiple buildings, threatening to reach the plant’s chemical storage area, authorities said.
PASSAIC, NJ — A massive 11-alarm fire that broke out at a chemical plant in Passaic on Friday night has been contained after firefighters worked through the night, battling flames and frigid temperatures.
The fire broke out at Majestic Industries and the Qualco chemical plant in Passaic just after 8:15 p.m. Friday, ABC New York reported. The flames reached buildings housing plastics, pallets, and chlorine, officials told The Associated Press but did not reach the main chemical plant, which could have endangered the densely populated New York City suburbs of New Jersey.
No serious injuries were reported and no evacuation orders were issued.
Gov. Phil Murphy stopped a commission from voting on a controversial power plant proposal in Newark on Thursday, saying it needed a more thorough review after opponents said it went against his clean energy goals and environmental justice initiatives to develop fewer polluting facilities in communities of color.
Murphy’s move came less than an hour before the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission was to vote on a key contract to build a $180 million backup generating plant for its massive sewage treatment facility along the Passaic River.
“While the proposed backup generation put forth by the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission is meant to provide a critical climate resilience solution, it is imperative that the project adheres to the administration’s core values on environmental justice,” Alexandra Altman, a Murphy spokeswoman, said in a statement.
The commission has said the plant is needed as a backup during emergencies such as when its treatment plant lost all power for three days during Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which caused 840 million gallons of raw sewage to pour into Newark Bay and surrounding waterways.
Opponents said the plant would pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and exacerbate the intensity and frequency of storms like Sandy by slowly warming the planet. It would also release other pollutants that would add to the poor air quality and high asthma rates in the area that is surrounded by highways, industrial facilities and the Port of Newark.
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Bill seeks to reduce plastics pollution by forcing manufacturers to use more recycled material in products
A two-year fight to reduce plastic pollution in New Jersey inched forward when legislators approved a bill Thursday to mandate increased use of recycled plastics in manufacturers’ products.
The legislation (S2515/A4676) would require manufacturers to use more post-consumer recycled content in a variety of packaging products including plastic containers, plastic bags and plastic trash bags, as well as glass containers and paper bags.
If enacted, the law will go a long way to boost the market for recyclables, which has collapsed in recent years, and to reduce demand for new petroleum-derived plastics, according to many of the state’s most prominent environmental organizations.
The bill, kicked around by lawmakers since the beginning of the legislative term two years ago, could win final approval if both the Assembly and the Senate pass the measure in Monday’s final voting session of the term. Neither house has posted the bill on its agenda yet.
In releasing the bill by a 7-4 vote Thursday, the Assembly Appropriations Committee amended the bill to reduce the amount of post-consumer recycled content in rigid plastic containers, but increase the amount from 5% to 10% five years after the bill’s implementation.
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Today, while watching bowl games and working on your New Year resolutions, take a few minutes to plan how you can utilize our2022 Enviro-Events Calendar to attract free attention to the events that your business or organization will be offering in the coming months.
It’s the easiest way to keep your employees, clients, and organization members up to date on the latest energy and environmental news and legislation in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and beyond.
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While wind and solar ramp up, several countries, including France and Britain, are looking to expand their nuclear energy programs. Germany and others aren’t so enthusiastic.
A nuclear power station operated by Électricité de France. The company is deep in debt after contending with nuclear plant construction delays and cost overruns.Credit…Stephane Mahe/Reuters
PARIS — European countries desperate for a long-term and reliable source of energy to help reach ambitious climate goals are turning to an answer that caused earlier generations to shudder: nuclear power.
Poland wants a fleet of smaller nuclear power stations to help end its reliance on coal. Britain is betting on Rolls-Royce to produce cheap modular reactors to complement wind and solar energy. And in France, President Emmanuel Macron plans to build on the nation’s huge nuclear program.
As world leaders pledge to avert a climate catastrophe, the nuclear industry sees an opportunity for a revival. Sidelined for years after the disasters at Fukushima and Chernobyl, advocates are wrangling to win recognition of nuclear energy, alongside solar and wind, as an acceptable source of clean power.
More than half a dozen European countries recently announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear reactors. Some are smaller and cheaper than older designs, occupying the space of two football fields and costing a fraction of the price of standard nuclear plants. The Biden administration is also backing such technology as a tool of “mass decarbonization” for the United States.
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State Senate President Stephen Sweeney on Wednesday conceded defeat in his re-election race against a virtually unknown Republican challenger, an upset practically nobody expected and one that has stunned New Jersey’s political world.
The South Jersey Democrat blamed ”a red wave” of Republican voter turnout for his loss and insisted his time in politics isn’t over.
“All votes have been fairly counted, and I, of course, accept the results,” a clearly emotional Sweeney, New Jersey’s second-most powerful elected state official after the governor, said during a news conference at the Statehouse in Trenton.
Sweeney said Wednesday he does not plan to seek a recount in the race.
His concession caps one of the most shocking losses in the history of New Jersey politics and solidifies an end to Sweeney’s 20-year run in the Senate and 12-year tenure as president of the chamber.
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At $2.3B, it represesnts one of the largest investments in a single renewable energy project
(NEW BEDFORD, MA) – Vineyard Wind, a joint venture between Avangrid Renewables, a subsidiary of AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has announced that its first project has achieved financial close.
Working with nine international and U.S. based banks, $2.3 billion of senior debt has been raised to finance the construction of the project. The milestone enables Vineyard Wind to provide a notice to proceed to its contractors in the coming days and weeks, allowing suppliers to start hiring, training and mobilizing people to prepare for both on and offshore construction.
Onshore work will begin this Fall in Barnstable, with offshore work commencing in 2022. The first power from Vineyard Wind 1 will be delivered to the grid in 2023.
“There have been many milestones passed over the last several months, from securing the final federal permits to signing the U.S.’s first offshore wind project labor agreement,” said Vineyard Wind CEO Lars T. Pedersen.
“Achieving financial close is the most important of all milestones because today we finally move from talking about offshore wind to delivering offshore wind at scale in the U.S. With the signing of these agreements, we now have everything in place to start construction, launching an industry that will immediately start to create jobs and make a significant contribution to meet Massachusetts’ carbon pollution reduction targets. We couldn’t have made it this far without the tremendous support we’ve received from local residents, elected officials at every level of government and so many others. We can’t thank you enough and look forward to working together for many years to come.”
Enviro-Events Calendar is a great free resource. Use it to find meetings, classes, seminars, webinars, social events, and other opportunities to learn and to meet like-minded people. It also will help you get the word out about an event that your organization or business is planning. Our readers may be your ideal audience. Send event info to editor@enviropolitics.com. Please follow our style.
October 6, 2021 NJ Spotlight presents: Social Justice & Immigration 12 noon – 1:15 pm Online event. Attend Speakers: Monika Williams Shealey, Ph.D. Senior Vice President, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Rowan University Monsy Alvarado, Correspondent, NJ Spotlight News Michael Hill, Host, Morning Edition, WNYC
This park is a quiet and not-very-well-known nature jewel, which makes it great for birding. Come enjoy a 1-2 hour guided field trip along the Towamencin Creek and woods, on easy paved and mowed paths. We will look for those birds migrating through, as well as year-round favorites. Birders and nature lovers of all experience and ability levels are welcome, including children if accompanied by an adult. Bring binoculars if you have them. There are public restrooms on-site. Masks are not required for this outdoor program, although VFAS encourages all participants to be fully vaccinated and asymptomatic to attend. Leaders: Lynn Sowden and Jim Ermer
October 7, 2021 NJ Spotlight presents Climate Change & Clean Energy Online Event: 12 noon – 1:15pm Attend Speakers: Ken Lacovara, Ph.D., Dean, School of Earth & Environment, Rowan University Tom Johnson, Energy/Environment Writer, NJ Spotlight News Jon Hurdle, Correspondent, NJ Spotlight News Additional speakers to be announced. Interested in sponsoring an NJ Spotlight News event? Please contact us.
October 9, 2021 Big Day Trip Around Green Lane Park Valley Forge Audubon Society 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Green Lane Park Leaders: Patty and John Werth ([masked]) Reserve your spot A “Big Day” is a 24-hour opportunity to celebrate birds near and far. Join us as we circumnavigate Green Lane Reservoir, stopping at multiple locations along the way to look for birds. Driving time between stops ranges from 1 to 9 minutes. The locations are listed below. Please refer to the linked map for the location of each area. https://valleyforgeaudubon.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/2020Green-Lane-Park.pdf You may come for the entire day or any portion of it. Meet up with us at the beginning or at any point along the way according to this schedule: Location 1. 8:00 am: Deep Creek Rd & Snyder Rd parking area (1984 Snyder Rd, 18054) Location 2. 9:00 am: Morrow Pavilion area (2150 Green Lane Rd, 18054) Location 3. 9:45 am: Hill Road Day Use Area (2821 Hill Rd, 18054) Location 4. 11:00 am: Church Road Bird Sanctuary (Church Rd & Hock Rd, 18073) Location 5. 11:45 am: Flyfishing Area (Church Rd & Goschenhoppen Church Rd) Location 6. 12:30 pm: Walt Road Day Use Area (1051 Walt Rd, 18073) *Bring a picnic lunch if you’d like; we will take a break at the Walt Rd day-use area to picnic. Location 7. 2:00 pm: Hemlock Point (near 924 Lakeview Dr, 18054) Location 8. 3:00 pm: Knight’s Lake (parking area off Gravel Pike between Perkiomen Valley Brewery and Snyder Rd)
New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) and Mayor Bill de Blasio have unveiled a $191m plan to make New York City a leading destination for the offshore wind industry.
The 15-year Offshore Wind Vision (OSW) plan aims to put the city on a path to create over 13,000 jobs and generate $1.3bn in average annual investment.
It also aims to ensure 40% of job and investment benefits are directed toward women, minorities, and environmental justice communities, as well as reduce 34.5 million tons of CO2.
New York City will make commitments focused on three core areas – sites and infrastructure, business and workforce, and research and innovation.
The city will work to develop best-in-class infrastructure that will support the construction and operation of offshore wind farms.
The plan outlines how the city will expand its manufacturing sector to build, stage, and install wind turbines, and ensure they can be serviced and powered locally.
It also commits the city to develop public-private partnerships with communities to create good-paying, green jobs in disadvantaged neighborhoods historically impacted by climate injustice.
The city will focus on targeted investments to develop workforce training and support businesses that seek to create a diverse talent pool in offshore wind.
New York City will also work to promote research and innovation in the offshore wind so new technologies and approaches are created locally.
NYCEDC will work with the offshore wind industry and partners to launch an accelerator that will allow New York-based start-ups to build out the next generation of offshore wind technologies to support worldwide growth and advancement in the field.
