Did Christie snooker us when he squashed the rail tunnel?

Commission reveals administration planned to use funding for ARC commuter tunnel to finance infrastructure fixes long before governor canceled project citing concerns about cost overruns

Pulaski Skyway

A legal settlement between the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the federal Securities and Exchange Commission blows a hole in Gov. Chris Christie’s original version of why he canceled a long-planned commuter-rail tunnel during his first year in office.
Announced just before the governor delivered his State of the State speech, the SEC’s order makes clear that Christie administration officials were eyeing money the authority had earmarked for the commuter tunnel, hoping to use it instead to solve state transportation funding problems. Ultimately, that’s exactly what happened.

See John Reitmeyer’s full NJ Spotlight story here

Did Christie snooker us when he squashed the rail tunnel? Read More »

NJ Senators in active roles at Trump appointee hearings



Cory Booker made history yesterday as the first sitting senator to testify against a colleague when he spoke out against Jeff Sessions becoming the U.S. attorney general.


On the same day, Sen. Bob Menendez questioned Rex Tillerson, Donald Trump’s pick to be secretary of state, at the former Exxon/Mobil CEO’s confirmation hearing. Menendez accused Tillerson of lobbying hard against on Russia’s behalf against sanctions imposed by the U.S. 


Brenda Flanagan has the video story above for NJTV News
and the written story here.


Like this? Use form in upper right to receive free updates
See popular posts from the last 30 days in right column — >>



NJ Senators in active roles at Trump appointee hearings Read More »

NJ enviro, energy bills in committee – Jan. 12, 2017

ASSEMBLY TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND UTILITIES
1/12/17 10:00 AM
Aide: (609) 847-3840
Committtee Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-441  Eustace, T. (D-38); Benson, D.R. (D-14);
Zwicker, A. (D-16)
Establishes solar power incentive program.
Related Bill: S-2691
     
A-2401  McKeon, J.F. (D-27); Wimberly, B.E. (D-35);
Benson (D-14)
Expands programs in BPU to include low-interest loans
and grants to municipalities for energy efficient programs and innovative
energy technologies.
     
A-2828  McKeon, J.F. (D-27); Wimberly, B.E. (D-35)
Establishes financial incentives for certain energy
providers to conduct energy audits.
     
ACR-151  Diegnan, P.J. (D-18); Eustace, T. (D-38);
Wimberly (D-35)
Urges construction of microgrids at municipal
facilities in New Jersey.  Related Bill: SCR-108

________________________________________

     
ASSEMBLY COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
1/12/17  1:30 PM
Aide: (609) 847-3875
Committee Room 16, 4th Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, New Jersey
A-4274  Houghtaling, E. (D-11); Andrzejczak, B. (D-1)
Requires EDA, in consultation with Department of
Agriculture, to establish loan program for certain vineyard and winery capital
expenses.  Related Bill: S-2727
     
___________________________________________
ASSEMBLY HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
1/12/17  2:00 PM
Aide: (609) 847-3875
Committee Room 9, 3rd Floor, State House Annex, Trenton, NJ
A-4304  Conaway, H. (D-7); Wimberly, B.E. (D-35)
Requires compilation of, and public access to, tests of
soil lead levels.
     
A-4305  Conaway, H. (D-7); Wimberly, B.E. (D-35)
Requires soil testing to determine lead content prior
to certain home sales.
     
A-4306  Conaway, H. (D-7); Wimberly, B.E. (D-35)
Requires DEP to adopt Statewide plan to reduce lead
exposure from contaminated soils and drinking water.
     

Like this? Use form in upper right to receive free updates
See popular posts from the last 30 days in right column —
>>

NJ enviro, energy bills in committee – Jan. 12, 2017 Read More »

EPA moves to ban use of Trichloroethylene (TCE)


EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention
published the following announcement today:


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing to ban the use of the toxic chemical trichloroethylene (TCE) due to health risks when used in vapor degreasing. The proposed rule was issued under section 6(a) of the Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act.
Specifically, EPA is proposing to prohibit manufacture (including import), processing, and distribution in commerce of TCE for use in vapor degreasing. EPA is also proposing to require manufacturers, processors, and distributors to notify retailers and others in their supply chains of the prohibitions.
Comments on the proposed rule must be received 60 days after date of publication in the Federal Register.
Once finalized, this proposal along with EPA’s recent proposal to ban TCE in aerosol degreasers and spot removers in dry cleaning will help protect workers and consumers from cancer and other serious health risks that can result from exposure to TCE. EPA identified risks associated with these TCE uses in a 2014 assessment.  
In late November, EPA announced the inclusion of TCE on the list of the first ten chemicals to be evaluated for risk under TSCA. That action will allow EPA to evaluate the other remaining uses of the chemical.

Learn more about the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. 




Like this? Use form in upper right to receive free updates
See popular posts from the last 30 days in right column — >> 

EPA moves to ban use of Trichloroethylene (TCE) Read More »