Platform Update

March 2009

SITE REMEDIATION: The Licensed Site Professional (LSP) legislation, S-1897 (Smith/Sweeney/Lesniak/Oroho/Van Drew/Ciesla/Gordon/Bateman/Beach) and A-2962 (McKeon/Cryan/Barnes), passed unanimously out of a joint meeting of the Senate Environment and Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. This bill proposes that New Jersey borrow aspects of a Massachusetts program (a major recommendation of the State Chamber's Benchmarking Study on Site Remediation) to allow certified professionals to proceed through the investigation and remediation of selected sites with a minimum of DEP oversight.

The Senate has scheduled a vote on S-1897 for this Monday, March 16. The General Assembly will be voting on A-2962 in May.  Governor Corzine has expressed that he would like to have the LSP bill delivered to his desk for his signature.  To review the bill, click here.

The Platform Coalition has consistently supported this legislation and believes it will begin the process of reducing the excessive backlog of 20,000 contaminated sites in New Jersey . The Coalition worked collaboratively with other stakeholders, and was successful in advocating changes that would provide better liability protections for LSPs and more flexibility in the site remediation process.

We would like to recognize individuals who dedicated their time and energy over the past 2 ½ years to see this idea become a legislative initiative. Jorge Berkowitz and Nick DeRose (Langan Engineering), Dave Brogan (NJBIA), Tony Russo (CCNJ), Steve Senior (Riker Danzig), Andy Robins and Dennis Toft (representing the NJ Builders), Mark Smith (representing NAIOP), Eric DeGesaro and John Donohue (NJ Fuel Merchants), Kevil Duhon (Senate Majority), and Judy Horowitz (OLS) are to be commended for their hard work. DEP Assistant Commissioner Irene Kropp should also be recognized for her dedication and perseverance. Irene also provided the State Chamber with an article on the LSP legislation which ran in the current edition of our Enterprise magazine. To read the article, click here.

Passing legislation that improves the site remediation process, utilizing the recommendations from the State Chamber’s 2007 Site Remediation Benchmarking study, is a primary goal of the P4P Environment Coalition.

NJ GLOBAL WARMING EMISSIONS PLAN: In January, Platform members participated in a series of six stakeholder meetings held to solicit input on the Draft Global Warming Response Act Recommendations Report released by the State in December. Summaries of stakeholder feedback for each of the six meetings have been posted on the State's Global Warming Web site. Summaries, copies of the agendas, relevant recommendations, and focus questions from each meeting are provided.

Various state departments are currently reviewing all of the comments they received on the draft report, both from stakeholders and in ongoing discussions with other State programs and agencies, as they work to finalize the recommendation report to the Governor and the State Legislature. Visit the State's Global Warming website periodically for additional information and updates.

Passing legislation or promulgating regulations that reduce energy consumption, stimulate “green jobs,” and provide incentives to the business community, is a primary goal of the P4P Environment Coalition.

ADVOCATING SOUND SCIENCE: At the DEPs recent quarterly meeting with the business trade associations, Acting Commissioner Mark Mauriello and his upper management discussed several key areas of interest. During the meeting the Commissioner briefed the group on the state budget, the federal stimulus package, site remediation reform, Water Quality Management Planning, and the Permit Efficiency Review Task Force. Jeanne Herb, Director of Policy, Planning and Science at DEP also discussed the creation of a Science Advisory Board (SAB) modeled, in part, on EPA's Science Advisory Board program. According to the Department, the Commissioner will issue an Administrative Order this spring which will create the SAB. Membership will include a team of 12 to 15 multi-disciplinary external scientists and representatives from academia. The SAB members would only focus on issues brought to their attention by the Commissioner.

On the legislative side, two bi-partisan bills were introduced by Senator Oroho (R-24) and Senate Majority Leader Steve Sweeney (D-3). The intent of these bills differ from the DEP model. S-2671 establishes an Environmental Science Review Board in DEP to review proposed environmental regulations for consistency with science. In addition, S-2672 establishes an Environmental Policy Review Board to examine proposed environmental regulations for consistency with planning policies.

Passing legislation that establishes a Science and Policy Review Board to review proposed environmental regulations is a primary goal of the P4P Environment Coalition.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

GREENFEST 2009: New Jersey is becoming known as a leading state capitalizing on the intersection of the green environment and the green economy. The State Chamber will host a breakfast where experts will highlight the many ways companies can save money in the long run by investing in green initiatives. The 8:30 a.m. breakfast will kick-off the PSEG GreenFest 2009, a three day event at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset designed to help people learn what can be done to protect the planet. Ralph Izzo, President and CEO, Public Service Enterprise Group, will open the program. Other speakers include Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee Chairman John McKeon and former Governor Jim Florio. To register for the event, click here.

FEDERAL STIMULUS FUNDS FOR ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY INITIATIVES: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will provide more than $8 billion for projects designed to improve the quality of the environment. Some of these programs include:

• Clean Water State Revolving Fund and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund: $4 billion for assistance to help communities with water quality and wastewater infrastructure needs and $2 billion for drinking water infrastructure needs. A portion of the funding will be targeted toward green infrastructure, water and energy efficiency, and environmentally innovative projects.
• Brownfields: $100 million for competitive grants to evaluate and clean up former industrial and commercial sites.
• Diesel Emissions Reduction: $300 million for grants and loans to help regional, state and local governments, tribal agencies, and non-profit organizations with projects that reduce diesel emissions.
• Superfund Hazardous Waste Cleanup: $600 million for the cleanup of hazardous sites.  
• Leaking Underground Storage Tanks: $200 million for cleanup of petroleum leaks from underground storage tanks.  

On the energy side, the stimulus plan dedicates roughly $43 billion on direct energy and efficiency programs, with an additional $20 billion in energy tax incentives. The vast majority of the spending on energy in the bill is directed at energy efficiency in buildings, renewable energy production, and affiliated infrastructure (renewable transmission and the electric grid). Funding for $50 billion in additional loan guarantees for nuclear energy and advanced fossil energy were cut from the final bill. Some of the specific energy programs include:

• Clean Renewable Energy Bonds (CREBs): Authorizes an additional $1.6 billion of CREBs to finance facilities that generate electricity from certain renewable resources.
• Advanced Energy Property Credit: Creates a new 30% credit for investment in certain property used in a "qualifying advanced energy manufacturing project." Qualifying projects would include any project that re-equips, expands or establishes a manufacturing facility for the production of property designed to produce energy from the sun, wind, geothermal deposits, or other renewable resources.
• Plug-In Electric Vehicles Credit: Provides a credit in an amount equal to 10% of the cost of any qualified plug-in electric vehicle placed in service during the taxable year. The credit would be capped at $2,500 per vehicle.
• Residential Energy Credit: Under current law there is a 30% residential energy credit available to individuals for expenditures for qualified solar electric, solar water heating, fuel cell, small wind energy, and geothermal heat pump property. The stimulus plan would remove the caps on the credits for all qualifying property other than fuel cell property.

10 BEST GREEN JOBS:

There's been a lot of talk lately about how “green” jobs are going to revive the economy.  According to Fast Company, the ten best green jobs for the next decade are:

1-- Farmer. The average age of the American farmer is nearing retirement age. A new generation of small-scale, local growers is needed.

2-- Forester. This field has growing international significance as programs aim to finance, conserve and develop forests in developing nations.

3-- Solar Power Installer. The Solar Energy Industries Association predicts an increase to over 110,000 good-paying jobs by 2016.

4-- Energy Efficiency Builder. President Obama's pledge to improve the energy efficiency of public buildings and homes could create almost a million jobs.

5-- Wind Turbine Fabricator.  The wind industry reportedly added 10,000 new jobs in 2007 and it is considered to be a fast growing source of alternative energy.

6-- Conservation Biologist. This field is beginning to grow as awareness grows about the value of the planet's ecosystems.

7-- Green MBA and Entrepreneur. More and more, companies are beginning to understand that the values of sustainability are about survival, not just good press.

8-- Recycler. Although the industry is currently in a downturn, recycling is still more cost effective than waste disposal.

9-- Sustainability Systems Developer. These are the high-tech positions. Essentially computer information systems designed to support energy efficiency and alternative energy supply.

10-- Urban Planner. Large infrastructure changes are needed to transition to less carbon intensive lifestyles.

To read the full report, click here.

ENVIRONMENT-TIP-OF-THE-MONTH: Turn off the tap! Turning off the water while you brush your teeth can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month. To find out more about using water wisely, click here.

Click here for previous update.


Michael Egenton
Vice President , Environment & Transportation
New Jersey Chamber of Commerce
216 West State Street
Trenton, NJ 08608
Phone: (609)989-7888 Ext. 119
Fax: (609)989-9696
Michael.Egenton@njchamber.com