A $10.5B school construction bond could help fix Newark’s old school buildings
A proposed $10.5 billion state school construction bond could unlock new funding for Newark Public Schools and other school districts in the state to address longstanding needs for new schools and urgent repairs. Senate Majority Leader M. Teresa Ruiz introduced legislation Thursday that, if approved, would ask voters in November to authorize new state bonds for school construction, expansion, and renovation projects in high-poverty districts as well as others. Read more here.
EPA issues new rules to prevent chemical disasters; DEP to strengthen its legal safeguards
New Jersey will be upgrading its state chemical safety regulation to implement the new, stronger federal protections against chemical releases, fires and explosions. The news comes after the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency implemented a new national rule on March 1, Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection implements and enforces the federal rules and must adopt the new EPA rules, known as the “Risk Management Program,” if stronger than existing state law. Read the full story on ROI here.
US EPA ISSUES NEW RULES TO PREVENT CHEMICAL DISASTERS: NEW JERSEY TO STRENGTHEN ITS LEGAL SAFEGUARDS
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s new national rule, Safer Communities by Chemical Accident Prevention, issued on March 1, 2024, will lead to New Jersey upgrading its own state chemical safety regulation to implement the new, stronger federal protections against chemical releases, fires, and explosions. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) implements and enforces the federal rules and must adopt the new EPA rules, known as the “Risk Management Program” (or RMP), if stronger than existing state law. The rules cover approximately 90 New Jersey facilities across the state that use extraordinarily hazardous substances above specified quantities. Read the [...]
Jersey Renews Coalition and Labor Allies Call on Legislative Leadership to Continue Support for Offshore Wind
The Jersey Renews Coalition and labor allies submitted a letter co-signed by 17 labor unions and labor advocate organizations to Senate President Scutari and Assembly Speaker Coughlin calling for continued, strong support for the development of offshore wind in New Jersey. The letter demonstrated broad support for offshore wind from unions representing workers in building and construction trades, service sectors, manufacturing, and the public sector. Read more here from Insider NJ.
Ørsted announces heavy losses that could jeopardize timing of NJ wind farm project
©Chris Laurens, ElsamAn aerial view of the Kentish Flats windfarm viewed show the wind turbine generators. Story by Amanda Oglesby Asbury Park Press, September 1, 2023 - A Denmark company building New Jersey's first offshore wind turbine project announced this week billions of dollars in losses in its American division due to supply shortages and high interest rates. Wind turbine company Ørsted plans start onshore construction for Ocean Wind 1 — an 11,000-megawatt wind turbine project to be located about 15 miles offshore — this fall. However, supply chain instability and high interest rates are being blamed for [...]
Booker, Barragán Lead 47 Congressional Colleagues in Urging EPA to Further Strengthen Prevention and Safety Standards to Prevent Chemical Disasters
Booker, Barragán Lead 47 Congressional Colleagues in Urging EPA to Further Strengthen Prevention and Safety Standards to Prevent Chemical Disasters WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and U.S. Representative Nanette Diaz Barragán (D-CA-44th) urged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to strengthen its proposed Risk Management Program (RMP) Rule to ensure the strongest possible safeguards at high-risk chemical facilities and protections for workers, environmental justice communities, and first responders. 47 other Senators and members of the House of Representatives co-signed the letter. EPA’s RMP regulates close to 12,000 facilities that make, use, or store hazardous chemicals, and recent chemical [...]