Below are just a few of the environmental and political news stories for New Jersey, Pennsylvania and beyond that appeared in EnviroPolitics during the week of Sep. 28 to Oct 2, 2009.

New Jersey Environment

Popular oyster program nearly out of money
Federal funding has hit a predetermined $5M cap, and now the Delaware Bay Oyster Restoration Project can’t go for more AC Press

NJ utility CEO fights for climate bill A new Senate bill putting limits on carbon dioxide emissions will raise the cost of electricity, but national regulation is needed and could makeNew Jersey more competitive, the head of the state’s largest utility said Wednesday The Record

Campaign seeks support for open space bond issue A coalition of 135 conservation, environmental and historic preservation groups launched a campaign today to win voter support for a $400 million referendum to replenish state funds for open space preservation Star-Ledger

Regulators want limit on weakfish by 2010 After a brief, dismal 2009 season for weakfish, recreational anglers may be limited to catching one or two weakfish on their 2010 trips — or not fishing for the species at all AP Press

Enviros, developers disagree over state plan’s shape Enviro activists charged Thursday that an influential coalition of developers and their allies are hiding behind smart growth, economic recovery, and the election, to push a series of bills though the Legislature that the activists see as proposals that would undermine environmental protections NJ Newsroom Star-Ledger NJBIZ Gannett

New Jersey Politics

Governor candidates clash in first TV debate In the first televised debate of the hotly contested New Jersey governor’s race, the three leading candidates last night focused on the economy, property taxes, health care, and education, with each arguing that he would be the best person to lead the state through difficult financial times Inquirer Star-Ledger Debate Excerpts

Former Irvington mayor admits corruption Former Irvington Mayor Michael Steele will serve at least five years in prison for accepting thousands of dollars in kickbacks while working as the school business administrator Star-Ledger NJNR
> Opinion: The political culture must change Bob Villare

Sweeney says he has the votes to unseat Codey Key senators from all regions said to endorse him PolitickerNJ
> Codey accuses Norcross of underhanded campaign As he wages the fight of his life to hold on to his Senate presidency, Dick Codey sees work of his arch enemy everywhere Star-Ledger

Ex-Bergen Democratic counsel Oury pleads guilty Dennis Oury pleads guilty in federal court to charges of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and failing to file a tax return for 2006; plea comes two days before trial The Record

Poll: Property taxes top Jerseyans’ concerns Half the residents say they’d like to move out of state NJ Newsroom

Pennsylvania Environment

Enviros fight gas leasing in PA forests
A buried treasure of natural gas under Pennsylvania’s state forests and hills has a lot of people hoping for a big payoff: rural landowners, big energy companies and, now, the state’s politicians Inquirer Towanda Daily Review Editorial: Fools Gold

Pennsylvania farm pollution – from bad to worse? A PA environmental group is warning that pollution from large-scale livestock farms in that state is worsening, and it’s calling for stricter government regulations and enforcement to help restore the Chesapeake Bay Baltimore Sun blog

Environmental compliance and safety promised by natural gas driller Nearly 200 people listened Monday night to remarks from a principal of Rice Energy LP, a company that plans to drill for natural gas beneath Farragut in the Marcellus Shale layer, and most of the queries were about how waste water is managed Sun-Gazette

Editorial: Sales-tax insanity The legislature might not be scrounging to pay for schools and roads if the statewide 6 percent sales tax were applied more fairly and were updated to reflect changes in the economy Inquirer

Opinion: Budget targets environment The state budget agreement being finalized by Gov. Rendell and legislative leaders would have a devastating impact on Pennsylvania’s environment Inquirer

Pennsylvania Politics

11th-hour gas pains cloud state budget deal Battle lines are drawn in the House over whether Pennsylvania should expand natural gas drilling in state-owned forests, raising $60 million a year, or join more than three-dozen other states and impose a ”severance tax” on the extraction of natural resources Morning Call

Invasive species threaten New York’s natural order As a threat, invasives have been judged second only to habitat loss when it comes to a region’s biodiversity LoHud Journal