Friday, May 16th, 2008
A few things to do…
South Mountain Conservancy Hike: A moderately difficult 5 to 6 mile hike from Locust Grove along the Lenape Trail, returning along the Rahway River. Bring a snack. Tomorrow, 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Free. South Mountain Reservation, Millburn. Meet at Locust Grove opposite the First Aid Station on Glen Avenue.
Spring Birding: A search for spring migrants, for children 10 and older. Bring binoculars (loaners will be available if you don’t have any). Sunday, 8 a.m. Free. The Strange World of Reptiles: At 2 p.m. (after a public meeting at 1 p.m.) Bill Boesenberg of Snakes-N-Scales and Turtle Tales will lead a discussion about reptiles. All ages. Free, but registration is required. Schiff Nature Preserve, 339 Pleasant Valley Rd., Mendham. (973)543-6004.
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Thursday, May 15th, 2008
More commuters are taking bicycles, not cars, to work. (On LBI, they take mopeds.)
Camden County officials yesterday showed off a “green” addition to the HQ of the Parks Department.
Lakeland bus workers approved a new contract Tuesday; riders may face a 10 percent fare hike.
A study of 13 Hudson River fish species finds 10 have declined since the mid-1970s — despite an improvement in water quality.
An organic farm co-op in Burlington County has 70 subscribers — people who pay $525-$550 and receive weekly batches of locally-grown organic veggies — and even more fans.
And James Dausch, manager of development for EnCap, wrote in to the Bergen Record about the project’s financing.
Wednesday, May 14th, 2008
Veterans Memorial Park in Parsippany. Image via Morton Fox.
The national Cool Cities program aims to “solve global warming, one city at a time,” and tomorrow night, Parsippany will officially join the club.
At 7 p.m., Parsippany Mayor Michael Luther will sign the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, committing to reducing townwide carbon dioxide pollution to 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Beforehand, there will be a discussion of how the township’s emissions will be measured.
For most towns, committing to a reduction also means committing to energy efficient policies (employing energy efficient street lights and adopting green building standards), a green vehicles policy (making city vehicles go hybrid, perhaps), global warming reduction policies (such as a no-idling rule), renewable energy policies (town buys “green” power), transit and land-use improvements and state action to reduce greenhouse gases.
According to the Cool Cities site, 983 mayors from other cities and towns around the country have signed on. Eighty New Jersey cities and towns are listed on the program’s website. (That leaves 485…)
Tomorrow night’s meeting in Parsippany is at Town Hall, 1001 Parsippany Blvd.
Tuesday, May 13th, 2008
Image via gardenpa.com.
A study released today confirmed venison can contain lead fragments.
The study, a joint effort by the Peregrine Fund and Washington State University, found that 80 percent of deer shot with standard lead-core bullets and then X-rayed contained metal fragments. Ninety-two percent of those metal fragments were lead. This means people who eat the meat of animals shot with lead bullets risk lead exposure, according to the researchers. The Peregrine Fund suggests copper bullets as an alternative.
The findings were released today at a conference at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho, where the Peregrine Fund is also based.
The North Dakota Department of Health and federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are planning a separate study on people who eat meat from animals killed with lead bullets.
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Monday, May 12th, 2008
Schering-Plough is planning a 1.7-megawatt solar system for its campus in Summit — the biggest rooftop solar installation in the country, the company installing it said today.
The company, PPL Renewable Energy of Allentown, Pa., plans to design, build, own and operate the system, which will be spread out over eight rooftops. Schering-Plough is apparently using solar power to advance its goal of reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 5 percent by 2012. According to PPL:
The system will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 1.3 million pounds each year, equivalent to conserving 65,900 gallons of gasoline.
The system is scheduled to be up and running by the end of this year.
As of March 31, more than 2,947 residential, commercial, public and nonprofit entities had installed a solar electric system, according to the New Jersey Office of Clean Energy.
Monday, May 12th, 2008
Cape May County declared an emergency this afternoon as heavy rains and winds pounded the South Jersey coast. About 30,000 Atlantic City Electric customers in Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties lost power. At least 2,700 in Gloucester County lost power, and scattered outages were reported in Monmouth and Ocean counties. A flood warning remains in effect for coastal areas through 11 p.m. tonight, and a gale warning will be in effect until tomorrow.
Amtrak began repairs today on Northeast Corridor train tracks. NJ Transit issued revised schedules; the corridor is losing 25 percent of its capacity and work may continue through the fall and into next year.
Lakeland Bus may strike after all, later this week — a tentative contract agreement fell apart over the weekend.
Lawmakers said more information is needed on drugs in N.J. drinking water.
Monday, May 12th, 2008
While the state has shut down EnCap’s building plans in Lyndhurst and Rutherford, a project planned by an affiliated company in North Arlington is largely outside the state’s reach, says the Bergen Record — outside the jurisdiction of the Meadowlands Commission, and potentially more lucrative.
John McCain talked up his environmental record during a visit to Jersey City Friday, drawing criticism from some environmentalists.
Fumes from an open paint can made 58 people sick Friday at Carteret High School.
Environmentalists and politicians met at High Point State Park on Saturday to oppose Gov. Corzine’s plan to slash funding to state parks.
In their search for open land, New Jersey developers are looking to quarries.
Friday, May 9th, 2008
A few things to do…
Cruise for charity: Ted Shred’s presents the 2nd annual beach cruiser bike race, a 5-miler. Tomorrow at 10 a.m., Sandy Hook National Park (meet in Lot E), Sandy Hook. $10. After party is at Ted Shred’s distribution center, 75 Bay Ave., Highlands. Proceeds from the race benefit Clean Ocean Action.
D&R Canal canoeing: Rent a canoe or kayak at 1076 Canal Rd., Griggstown, or 483 Alexander St., Princeton. Weekend hours: Tomorrow and Sunday, 10 a.m.-8 p.m., weather permitting. Click here for more information.
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Thursday, May 8th, 2008
From Bob Ingle:
So now we ask: Who will pay to close the landfills? What is the status of the $300 million in public bonding and $51 million in direct loans EnCap got? The state can pursue a $149 million insurance policy the original EnCap developers obtained. Expect all of this to end up in court. Earlier, N.J. Inspector General Mary Jane Cooper issued a critical report on EnCap that conveniently didn’t mention what role government officials played in giving the project public loans. No realistic person would expect the Attorney General’s Office to have a clue, either.
From João-Pierre S. Ruth, blogging at NJBiz.com:
EnCap cannot clear the sand trap it landed in.
From Hackensack Riverkeeper Bill Sheehan, via the Record:
I’ve always been in this to stop the landfills from poisoning the river. I hope this doesn’t get bogged down in litigation to the point where the poisoning continues for another generation.
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Thursday, May 8th, 2008
EnCap filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection today, one day after the Meadowlands Commission kicked it to the curb.
Its petition “lists 20 unsecured creditors to whom it owes the most money,” according to the Bergen Record — among them, Lyndhurst, Rutherford and North Arlington. Visit the link above to see the rest, and how much money each is apparently owed.
It’s not yet clear what the bankruptcy filing means for the state money invested in the project, says the Star-Ledger.