Greencitynew

From the Association of New Jersey Environmental Commissions’

Urban Environmental Initiative

Welcome to ANJEC's Green City Gazette, the monthly e-mail newsletter for Environmental Commissions in NJ's urban and developed communities.
The Gazette seeks to provide readers with a periodic sampling of information and resources relating to urban environmental issues, highlighting the
work of urban environmental commissions as well as relevant events, books, articles, and web sites.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) Auctions off
12,565,387 tons of Greenhouse gases for $38,575,783

"The 10 RGGI states have demonstrated great leadership in coming together to offer this first carbon cap-and-trade system, and the smooth completion of the initial auction is proof that the RGGI is leading the nation in the battle against climate change," said Pete Grannis, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and Chair of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, Inc. "RGGI's example shows that an open and competitive carbon market can be implemented."

Although New Jersey did not participate in this first auction, NJ Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Lisa Jackson reports that our state will participate in the next one, scheduled for December 17, 2008. Proceeds from the auction are for energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies, and programs to benefit energy consumers. Environmental justice advocates remain wary of a cap and trade system because it allows polluting industries to continue to degrade neighborhoods and impact the health of urban residents.
For more information on RGGI, click on www.rggi.org

Saturday, October 25
Open Space Ramble
Where: Meet at City Hall, 324 Farnsworth Avenue, Bordentown, NJ
When: 9:30 am
What: The Join the Bordentown Environmental Commission as it tours it's newly acquired and proposed open space in Bordentown City and hear about updates on parks development in the City. Dress for the weather.
For more information contact bcec@mail.com

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Common Ground Leadership Seminars
Where: Special Events Forum, the Bloustein School, 33 Livingston Avenue, Rutgers, New Brunswick, NJ
When: Walkability (morning) 9 am to 12 pm
Bicycling (afternoon) 1pm to 5pm
What: This fall the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center will host a series of three Common Ground Leadership Seminars. The seminars build on the foundation of the 2004 Common Ground Conference, which explored how community design can support healthy lifestyles, specifically through the advancement of biking and walking. Each event will feature a presentation by a national expert on the topic, followed by a local panel discussion.
The event is free, although, space is limited. To register, please call (732) 932-6812 x 590.

Thursday, October 30
Elements of Sustainability: Greening Your Master Plan & Ordinances
Where: Highland Park Borough Hall, 221 S. 5th Avenue, Highland Park, NJ
When: 7 pm - 9:30 pm
What: A new amendment to New Jersey's Municipal Land Use Law authorizes local planning boards to include a "green buildings and environmental sustainability plan element" in their master plans.
This workshop will offer guidance on developing a municipal master plan sustainability element. You'll also hear case studies about some sustainable land use ordinances that NJ towns have adopted.

Registration Fees:

To register, email contact information to: info@anjec.org

Below are summaries of recent news stories about the environment in New Jersey. Links to www.nj.com are provided at the end of each
article summary To obtain full article you'll need to search for the specific newspaper and the article and may have to pay a fee.

STATE SITTING OUT FIRST EMISSION-CREDIT AUCTION
By Tom Johnson, The Star Ledger, Wednesday, September 24, 2008

A regional program designed to curb greenhouse gas emissions gets under way tomorrow with New Jersey, one of the prime advocates of the plan, sitting on the sideline. In the first auction of its kind, a coalition of 10 states has imposed a cap on carbon emissions for power plants in the Northeast, but will allow electric power producers to buy credits giving them the right to continue spewing greenhouse gases.
www.nj.com/

200 BRIEFED ON TOXIC VAPORS, BUT BROCKOVICH A NO-SHOW
By Elaine D'Aurizio, Herald News, Tuesday, October 7, 2008
POMPTON LAKES - The star attraction didn't show up. But that was the least of the worries for 200 residents who filled the high school auditorium Monday evening. As has been the case for months, residents whose homes sit atop a plume of industrial contamination expressed a range of worries from their health to their ability to sue DuPont; the company they say imperils them.
www.northjersey.com/environment/environmentnews/30553109.html

FOES LOSE BID TO SUSPEND OYSTER CREEK RELICENSING
By Todd Bates, The Asbury Park Press, October 6, 2008
Opponents of the re-licensing of Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Lacey lost another round Monday in their ongoing battle
www.app.com/article/20081006/NEWS/81006070

U.S. TRYING NEW BEACH REPLENISHMENT APPROACH IN NJ
By The Associated Press, October 7, 2008
LONG BRANCH, N.J. (AP) - The Army Corps of Engineers wants swimmers and surfers to be able to get along.
The Corps says it will use an experimental design for a new beach replenishment project next month in Long Branch.
www.nj.com/

NEW JERSEY TAKES THE LEAD IN WIND POWER PLANS
By Tom Johnson, The Star Ledger, Tuesday, October 07, 2008
Three days after the state approved its first offshore wind farm, the Corzine administration yesterday stepped up its efforts to ensure wind turbines supply a bigger portion of New Jersey's electricity.
www.nj.com/

Challenges to the environment don't take ever take a break. We need your help. A click on www.anjec.org/Membership.htm takes you to our website where you can make a secure contribution using PayPal (or print a donation form to mail in). It only takes a minute, but makes a big difference for ANJEC.

If you have an event, article, book or website you'd like us to cover in the next Green City Gazette, please send your information to Editor Kerry Margaret Butch, Urban Project Director, urbananjec@yahoo.com.