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EnviroPolitics
 Daily environmental and political news and information
 

          Enviro-Business News…      
Who's coming and going, expanding and folding in environmental professions,
businesses, industries and associations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and beyond
 

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Rohm and Haas says Ky. chemical release under control Rohm and Haas said Friday that a chemical leak from a rail car at its Louisville, Ky., plant Thursday night has been stabilized and is being monitored by local, state and federal health and hazardous materials authorities. There were no reports of exposures, injuries or illnesses, and neighbors reported no abnormal odors, the company said in a news release. The rail car contained a mixture of methyl methacrylate and ethyl acrylate, which are used to make acrylic emulsions for paints, caulks, adhesives and additives for PVC products. The material vented was in very low quantities, and the rail car is positioned safely on a spur where it is being monitored, the company said Philadelphia Business Journal 7/4/08

EPA recognizes PPL with award for its pollution prevention measures PPL’s beneficial use of 100 percent of the coal ash produced at its Montour and Brunner Island power plants in Pennsylvania has earned the company national recognition from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The award recognizes PPL Generation for reaching this mark through efforts of employees who found an innovative way to cut in half the amount of soil needed for various projects around power plants by mixing it with equal portions of bottom ash, a by-product of coal power production. The mix saved PPL more than $2M in disposal and soil procurement costs last year. Although PPL’s Coal Combustion Products group began using bottom ash as a soil additive in 2002, last year was the first time 100 percent of the coal ash produced from the Montour and Brunner Island plants in PA was used for beneficial purposes (Shamokin, PA) News-Item 7/4/08 

PSEG announces two executive appointments Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) has announced that it has named Randall E. Mehrberg to the newly created post of executive vice president – planning and strategy, effective September 8. PSEG also announced that Stephen C. Byrd, senior vice president – finance, business development, strategy and M&A, will become president of PSEG Energy Holdings, effective July 7.  In doing so, he will relinquish his current strategy responsibilities to Mehrberg. Mehrberg will report to Ralph Izzo, PSEG’s chairman, president and chief executive officer, and will be a member of the corporate executive leadership team.  He will have leadership responsibility for developing PSEG’s corporate strategy and five-year business plan. Mehrberg, who is a lawyer and an experienced manager, will join PSEG after serving for eight years in various executive leadership positions at Chicago-based Exelon Corporation, the nation’s largest electric utility.  He was executive vice president, chief administrative officer and chief legal officer from 2006 to 2008; executive vice president-corporate development and strategy and general counsel from 2002 to 2006, and senior vice president, general counsel and chief ethics officer from 2000 to 2002. Mehrberg’s responsibilities will also include PSEG’s emergent technology and transfer group. In addition, Mehrberg will oversee the corporate balanced scorecard.  Before his tenure at Exelon, Mehrberg was an equity partner from 1980 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 2000 in the Chicago law firm of Jenner & Block, where he represented corporations, institutions and government entities in a broad range of matters.  From 1993 to 1997, he served as lakefront director and general counsel for the City of Chicago’s Park District. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business and holds a doctor of law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. Byrd will assume the role of president of Energy Holdings from Thomas M. O’Flynn, PSEG’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.   In his new capacity as president, Byrd will continue to report to O’Flynn.  Both Byrd and O’Flynn are also members of the executive leadership team. Byrd, who also is a lawyer, joined PSEG in January, 2007 from the investment banking firm of Morgan Stanley where he was executive director of the global energy and utilities group. At Morgan Stanley, Byrd had the lead role in developing transactions involving a combination of investment banking, commodities and structured finance capabilities. Byrd is a graduate of the College of William and Mary and holds a joint doctor of law and master of business administration degree from the University of Virginia. PSEG news release 7/3/2008 

Middlesex Water Company added to Russell 3000 Index Middlesex Water Company (NASDAQ: MSEX) has announced it has been added to the broad-market Russell 3000® Index after the Russell Investment Group reconstituted its comprehensive set of U.S. and global equity indexes on June 27, 2008. The Russell 3000 Index measures the performance of the largest 3,000 U.S. Companies representing approximately 98% of the investable U.S. equity market. Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for both index funds and as benchmarks for passive and active investment strategies. Middlesex Water Company, (NASDAQ: MSEX) established in 1897, provides a full range of regulated and non-regulated water, wastewater utility and related services in parts of New Jersey and Delaware. The Company has nine subsidiaries through which it designs, builds, manages, owns and operates water and wastewater assets, conducts municipal contract operations and public/private partnerships and provides water and sewer line maintenance services. Middlesex Water and its subsidiaries have more than 125,000 customers and serve a population of over 400,000 News release 7/3/08 

New Jersey firm to close 105-year old paper recycling mill in MA Rising energy cost are being blamed for the planned closing of Haverhill Paperboard Corp., which has employed generations of families since it opened in the Merrimack Valley town of Haverhill, Massachusetts in 1902. A total of 142 full-time and 32 part-time employees will be affected by the closing. EnviroPolitics Blog 7/2/2008 
 

Converted Organics receives first shipment of liquid food waste in NJ Converted Organics Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) announced today that, on June 30, the Company took delivery of its first shipment of liquid food waste at its new flagship organic soil amendment and fertilizer processing facility in Woodbridge, NJ. The shipment was received from waste management firm Russell Reid of Keasbey, NJ. Converted Organics entered into a strategic agreement with Russell Reid in April,
2008 regarding the collection, processing and conversion of food waste from Russell Reid's food service clients. "We have begun processing our first shipment of 15,000 gallons of liquid food waste (approximately 70 tons), and are very pleased that its conversion into high-quality organic fertilizer via our High Temperature Liquid Composting (HTLC) system is proceeding as efficiently and effectively as expected," said Edward
J. Gildea, President of Converted Organics. "Our team of experts in Woodbridge
expects similar success with all subsequent deliveries."  Converted Organics expects that the high-quality organic fertilizer produced from this initial batch of liquid food waste will be available for shipment to customers by July 15, 2008 FOX Business 7/1/08

 

 

 

 

 

 

CUH2A completes merger with HDR Design firms CUH2A of Princeton and Omaha-based HDR Architecture, today announced that they have formally merged to become what they described as the “world’s most comprehensive science and technology design firm."  NJBIZ  6/30/08

 

TRC signs four Exit Strategy® contracts valued at $50.8M TRC Companies, Inc. (NYSE:TRR) says that it has signed four Exit Strategy contracts during the past year. TRC says its Exit Strategy program provides comprehensive environmental liability transfer solutions to facilitate M&A transactions, expedite redevelopment of industrial sites and achieve cost certainty for liabilities associated with discontinued operations. The total value of the four contracts is $50.8 million. Work under the contracts is expected to take several years to achieve substantial completion. The projects involve
a New York City waterfront redevelopment, client acquisition of a power plant, a joint venture acquisition of a Brownfield redevelopment site and  remediation in support of Brownfield development. "These projects reflect the versatility of our Exit Strategy Program and represent TRC’s continued focus on distressed asset management and the conversion of former industrial sites where environmental or land use planning issues are restricting redevelopment," said Joe Yeasted, TRC Senior Vice President. "By remaining flexible and creative in the development of financial and risk management strategies to remove the uncertainties associated with environmental liabilities, TRC’s Exit Strategy Program has achieved broad market applications that sustain our leadership position and a steady backlog of new opportunities."  Information about TRC’s Exit Strategy Program is available at www.trcexitstrategy.com  6/26/08

Converted Organics announces alliance with NY waste firm Filco Converted Organics Inc. announced today that the Company and Brooklyn, NY waste management firm Filco Environmental Services have agreed to work together in the collection, processing and conversion of food waste from Filco Environmental Services’ food
service clients Business Wire 6/26/08

Former NYDEC commissioner headed to RPI Erin Crotty, commissioner of the NY Department of Environmental Conservation under former Gov. George Pataki, has joined Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy as director of community relations. Crotty, a Rensselaer alumna who grew up in Troy, will "coordinate and enhance community partnership programs and expand local outreach efforts" to organizations, local government and businesses in Troy and in the greater Albany region, the college said. Crotty founded a consulting business, the Crotty Group, in 2005. As the first woman commissioner of the state DEC, she managed a budget of nearly $1B and a staff of 3,300. Before becoming commissioner, Crotty was deputy commissioner of the agency's divisions of water quality and environmental remediation. She was also director of state and local government relations at Plug Power.  The Business Review  6/23/08

Republic Services buys Allied Waste for $6.1B The  boards of directors of both companies unanimously approved a definitive merger agreement that will  establish a company with expected pro forma annual revenues of about $9 billion. The combined company will employ 35,000 and service more than 13 million customers in 40 states and Puerto Rico. The companies anticipate closing the deal by the fourth quarter.
Republic has operations serving New Jersey and Pennsylvania . Allied has operations
in Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey Waste News 6/23/08
 

 
Converted Organics appoints general manager of Woodbridge, NJ facility Converted Organics Inc. announced today that it has appointed Dean Ulrich as the General Manager of the Company’s new flagship organic soil amendment and fertilizer processing facility in Woodbridge, NJ Mr. Ulrich, 43, brings almost two decades of transportation and waste management industry expertise to Converted Organics.
Most recently, Mr. Ulrich was the General Manager of EnviroSolutions, Inc. of Newark, NJ, where he held full profit and loss responsibility for a site that generated $50M in annual revenue and included 50 employees. In this capacity, Mr. Ulrich also negotiated union contracts, ensured compliance with Department of Environmental Protection regulations, and developed annual budgets. Prior to joining EnviroSolutions, he was Region Operations Manager for Casella Waste Systems, where he oversaw operations for 12 hauling companies and improved company profits through re-routes and equipment procurement. Mr. Ulrich’s background also includes responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, municipal contract negotiations, and management of waste hauling, transfer, and landfill operations for leading waste management companies such as
Allied Waste, BFI, USA Waste, and Waste Management. Businesswire 6/23/08

 

 

 

PSEG courting diverse suppliers PSEG says it is working to expand its knowledge of diverse suppliers in an effort to increase the amount of business it awards this group. Minority- and-women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) are encouraged to register their company with PSEG via the company’s new supplier diversity website, http://suppliers.pseg.com. In 2007, PSEG spent approximately $125M with certified MWBEs. This year the company is aiming to increase the number of goods and services procured from diverse suppliers to $130 million, or 10 percent of its overall spend. PSEG recently introduced an on-line supplier management registration system designed to match potential suppliers with procurement needs across the company. The new database allows employees easy access to supplier information and a list of products and services they provide. To date, over 1,500 suppliers have registered online, and 25 percent of those businesses are minority- or women-owned firms PSEG  6/19/08


Filing details Penn Virginia Resource Partners-Lone Star Gathering deal A filing made Thursday with the Securities and Exchange Commission details how Penn Virginia Resource Partners LP will obtain the Penn Virginia GP Holdings LP units it needs to buy energy company Lone Star Gathering LP in a deal announced Tuesday. Penn Virginia Resource Partners agreed Tuesday to buy Lone Star for $160M due at closing, $5M due Dec. 31, 2009 and payments of $30M and $25M depending on the performance of Lone Star's assets before June 30, 2013. All the Penn Virginia companies are based in Radnor, Pa Philadelphia Business Journal 6/19/08

Atlas Pipeline Partners prices unit offering Atlas Pipeline Partners LP said Thursday it has priced its public offering of common limited partner units at $37.52
per unit. The offering is for 5 million units, with an over-allotment option of 750,000 units. Atlas Pipeline Partners expects it to close Tuesday. Atlas Pipeline Partners expects
to net $179.6 million from the offering. It plans to use the money to fund the termination of crude oil derivatives agreements it had been using to hedge against price changes in ethane and propane. Atlas Pipeline Partners is based in Philadelphia, with a regional office in Moon Township, near Pittsburgh. It owns and operates natural gas pipelines, processing and treatment facilities  Pittsburgh Business Times 6/19/08

New Jersey’s office developers see a few bright spots Last month, a developer began resurrecting the “skeleton of Parsippany” — a steel frame for an office building that was started in the late 1980s but never finished after a recession hit. And some real estate professionals instantly perceived this as a possible harbinger of resurgence for the office market in New Jersey. Coming in the teeth of terrible market reports for the first quarter of 2008, it was at least a display of boldness on the part of the developer, the Commercial Realty Group of Morris Plains New York Times 6/18/08 
 

 

Rohm and Haas to ax 925 jobs Rohm and Haas Co. will eliminate 925 jobs in mostly its North American operations and take a charge in the second quarter as a result of the job cuts. The Philadelphia-based chemical company is taking the measure in a more accelerated fashion than originally anticipated because of the "rapid erosion
of business conditions in the U.S., and the impressive growth of our business in many rapidly developing economies," Chairman and CEO Raj L. Gupta said in a statement. The job cuts will be made over time. Philadelphia Business Journal 6/17/08

Legislation would create $1 billion fund for clean coal technology U.S. Reps. Mike Doyle and John Murtha, both from Pennsylvania, are among the sponsors of bipartisan legislation introduced Tuesday to accelerate the development and deployment of carbon capture and storage technologies via a $1 billion annual fund to bring cutting-edge clean coal technologies to market. Known as CCS, carbon capture and storage is a method of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by capturing and injecting underground the carbon dioxide emitted form electricity generation plants that use fossil fuels. The fund would be received from fees on the generation of electricity from coal, oil and natural gas. Grants from the fund would be awarded to large-scale projects advancing the commercial availability of CCS technology Pittsburgh Business Times 6/17/08 

Daniel J. Bitonti joins Cozen O'Connor as associate Daniel J. Bitonti has joined Cozen O’Connor’s Cherry Hill, NJ office as an associate in the business law department. Prior to joining the firm, he was an associate with Archer & Greiner, P.C., in Haddonfield, N.J.  Bitonti practices in the energy, environmental and public utility practice group and has experience in many types of environmental matters, including environmental contamination litigation involving claims for cost recovery and property damage; environmental actions in state and federal courts, including MTBE products liability claims by private and municipal water suppliers and individual water well owners; natural resource damages cases brought by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection under the state’s Spill Compensation and Control Act; and toxic tort claims involving medical monitoring due to exposure to gasoline and other contaminants through drinking water or vapor intrusion. Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and before the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the District of New Jersey, Bitonti is a member of the Camden County Bar Association, as well as the American Bar Association and its Litigation Section, Environmental Litigation Committee, and the Electronic Discovery Subcommittee of the Pretrial Practice and Discovery Committee. Bitonti is a graduate of Lehigh University (B.S., 1998) and Rutgers University School of Law – Camden (J.D., with honors, 2001). After law school, he clerked for the Hon. Stephen Skillman, P.J.A.D., of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division dbusinessnews  6/17/08

 

Marcal Paper ownership transfer completed Marcal Paper Mills, Inc.  today announced the closing of the previously announced transaction, whereby a newly formed entity to be known as Marcal Paper Mills, LLC, along with its subsidiaries, will acquire substantially all of the assets of Marcal. The Company also announced today that Tim Spring has been named Chief Executive Officer of Marcal Paper Mills, LLC, effective immediately. Mr. Spring brings extensive senior executive-level consumer packaged goods and turnaround experience. “We are very pleased to complete this transaction,” comments Mr. Spring, “which we believe will enable us to leverage Marcal’s strong brand and eco-friendly product line to restore the Marcal brand as a leader in the industry for the benefit of its customers, employees and its hometown communities.” James D’Agosta, newly appointed Senior Vice President of Sales, added, “We are entering a new and exciting phase and we look forward to building on the extraordinary history of the Company. Marcal is now recapitalized and revitalized, ready and able to successfully execute several growth and product improvement strategies. I look forward to partnering with our key customers to provide consumers with the environmentally-friendly products that they have come to expect from Marcal” News release 6/16/08  

Atlas Pipeline Partners to terminate crude oil derivative contracts Atlas Pipeline Partners LP said Monday it intends to terminate 86 percent of the crude oil derivative contracts it had entered into as a proxy hedge for the prices it receives for the ethane and propane portion of its natural gas liquids equity volume. The Philadelphia-based operator of natural gas pipelines and processing plants expects to take a $10 million charge in the second quarter upon terminating the contracts. Atlas Pipeline (expects the termination will cost it $250M  Philadelphia Business Journal 6/16/08

Steel prices slam Western New York producers While much attention has been focused on the surging price of oil and gas, the cost of steel doubled in the last six months. At Klein Steel Service Inc., General Manager Kenneth Woodring has watched the price of plate and sheet steel that his Town of Tonawanda company processes, change as much as two or three times a day. "Prices are rising steadily - just like people are seeing at the gas pump," he said. At all levels, steel prices have been trending upward at a remarkable pace, especially since Jan. 1. For automakers, for example, they total as much as $500 per vehicle since early this year. Industry insiders say they've never seen anything quite like it. Steel makers are tearing up contracts with their customers and demanding immediate price increases. Limits are being placed on how much steel a customer can buy at one time. Prices are subject to change in a matter of days Buffalo Business First  6/16/08

Ethanol transloading terminal opens in western Pennsylvania Safe Handling Inc., a bulk product transportation and toll processing company, has opened western Pennsylvania’s first rail-to-truck transloading terminal for ethanol, giving the state’s fuel wholesalers an affordable economic alternative to transporting ethanol by truck. “We’re delighted to make this new terminal location a reality,” said Ford Reiche, Safe Handling’s president. “We have made a significant investment and have been met with interest from both ethanol producers and gasoline blenders. This terminal provides an efficient, safe and cost-effective transportation opportunity for fuel wholesalers, marketers and retailers.” According to Andy Meyer, Safe Handling’s vice president of sustainability, the new terminal, which is located on three Class I railroad systems, will provide an alternative form of transportation, and can give wholesalers the opportunity to purchase ethanol from a wide range of producers and choose a rail line based on the lowest offered rates. Located in Mount Pleasant, Pa., approximately 45 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, the terminal can receive up to 30 rail tanker cars at a time, each with the capacity to hold about 29,000 gallons of denatured ethanol. The facility has the capability to transload 180,000 gallons per day. Private siding can accommodate 145 railcars storing over 4 million gallons of fuel. Ethanol Producer Magazine 6/12/08

 

PDG Environmental snags cleanup contracts PDG Environmental Inc. said Wednesday it was awarded contracts worth $10 million for asbestos abatement and reconstruction for multi-family complexes in Texas, Georgia, Ohio and Utah. Pittsburgh-based PDG (OTCBB:PDGE), which handles environmental remediation, said $5.1 million of the contracts were for reconstruction services. The company did not identify the contract awardees, except to say they were governmental, nonprofits and commercial entities  Pittsburgh Business Times 6/12/2008

McSwieney to lead business development for consulting firm Waste Management Associates, LLC (EWMA) a full service, environmental consulting and remediation firm, has announced the addition of Sharon McSwieney as Assistant Vice-President. McSwieney will be taking the lead in growing and managing business development and project-related opportunities in southern New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania. Prior to joining EWMA, McSwieney was Vice President for the Environmental Science Group at Sadat Associates, Inc. She has a long and distinguished career in Brownfield Redevelopment and remedial investigation and cleanup. McSwieney earned her B.A. in Chemistry at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, NJ and her M.E. in Environmental Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ. EWMA is a full-service, environmental consulting and remediation firm based in Parsippany, NJ. Additional information on the firm is available online at www.ewma.com 6/9/08

 

             
 

 

 

 

 

Energy Capital in partnership to invest in carbon offsets CE2 Capital Partners LLC, a San Diego-based manager of environmental and energy commodities and assets, and Energy Capital Partners, a Short Hills-based private equity firm that invests in North America''s energy infrastructure, today announced the formation of CE2 Carbon Capital, LLC. The new company, which has received an initial $125 million commitment, will be dedicated to building a portfolio of carbon offsets and other assets focused on reducing greenhouse gas emissions in North America, according to both companies. CE2 Carbon will actively participate in both existing and future state, regional, voluntary and federal greenhouse gas markets in the U.S. The new company will acquire carbon offsets, renewable energy credits and other greenhouse gas products and assets. CE2 Carbon will provide long-term agreements to purchase carbon offsets and renewable energy credits and invest in carbon-reducing projects. NJBIZ  6/9/08

 

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PSEG proposes three routes for new power line New Jersey's largest utility, Public Service Electric and Gas Co., announced today three possible routes for a 130-mile power line in Morris, Sussex, Warren and Essex counties to help accommodate
the state's growing electricity demands. PSE&G is partnering with Pennsylvania-based PPL Electric Utilities to build the 500-kilovolt line, the second such high-voltage line the state's northern region has seen to date, company officials said. The project, which will connect switching facilities in Roseland and Berwick, Pa., is estimated to cost between $600 and $650 million Star-Ledger  6/6/08

 

 

 

 

 

Revolutionary technology a win-win for old machines and environment A company developing technology that will allow equipment operators to bring old machines into compliance with increasingly strict emissions regulations at a manageable cost is the winner of this year’s Big Idea $25,000 Business Plan Contest, run by Penn State's Small Business Development Center in conjunction with Ben Franklin Technology Partners. Errcive Inc. company owners Stephen Dynan and Eric Ramberg are developing a revolutionary, low-cost diesel exhaust mitigation system. The business will be located in central Pennsylvania to combine low operating costs with access to world-class academic institutions and a talented workforce, say the owners. Initial sales and marketing efforts will be directed toward California, leveraging California's impetus to mitigate exhaust pollution. Penn State press release 6/6/08

Marriott Downtown is first NYC hotel to install tri-generation plant The installation of two hotel owner-funded PureComfort(R) systems built by UTC Power, a United Technologies Corp. company, makes the 500-room New York Marriott Downtown the first in New York City hotel to use this ultra clean technology to provide its own electricity, cooling and heating on-site. Waste heat generated by the system's 11 microturbines is used for space heating, hot water and for air conditioning. Not only will the hotel lower its overall energy costs, but the innovative technology ensures there is a minimal environmental impact because of the ultra-low emissions and efficiency overall. The overall system efficiency will approach 80 percent, almost three times that of a conventional power plant. Marriott news release 6/6/08

 

Toll Bros. CEO: Housing in 'depression' The chief executive of Toll Brothers Inc., the nation's largest luxury-home builder, says the housing industry is in a "depression" and any recovery could be two or three years away Associated Press
> Hovnanian reports 2Q loss grows tenfold Red Bank, NJ-based homebuilder  blames a "persistently challenging market environment" but said it will weather the current downturn" Inquirer  6/4/08

Polymer Group closing New Jersey plant Polymer Group, Inc. has announced
that it will close its manufacturing plant in Landisville, NJ to "better align the company's capabilities with its long-term strategic direction."  The Landisville plant, which makes s carded thermal bond and chemical bond products for the hygiene and medical markets, is expected to be closed by the end of the third quarter of 2008. Certain products lines are expected to be transitioned to other facilities within the U.S. operations while others will be discontinued. The company will provide the approximately 85 affected workers with severance and displacement assistance PR Newswire 6/3/08

Flaster Greenberg attorney discusses distressed properties Douglas S. Stanger, Esq., Financial Restructuring, Bankruptcy & Risk Management Group, Flaster/Greenberg, Attorneys at law, appeared on May 27 before the Cape May County Association of Realtors with Patrick Delaney of Countrywide Home Loans and a panel from  the Title Company of New Jersey. They examined "Distressed Properties: Dealing with foreclosures, short sales and bankruptcies." The event took place at The Wildwoods Convention Center in Wildwood, NJ. Stanger is a bankruptcy attorney and shareholder in the Egg Harbor Township office of Flaster/Greenberg, Attorneys at law.
He serves on the United States Department of Justice Panel of Trustees and is an approved mediator for the Bankruptcy Court. He  discussed how to assist realtors and individuals in dealing with distressed projects, with a focus on financial restructuring, especially where the amount owed to secured creditors exceeds the value of the property. Stanger concentrates his practice in bankruptcy, condominium, corporate, general business, property tax, and real estate law and has substantial experience in bankruptcy representing debtors and creditors. His real estate practice includes representation of individuals and developers in complex transactions, condominiums,
and real estate tax appeals. 6/3/08

NRG Energy declares preferred stock dividends NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) today announced the following preferred stock dividends, payable on June 16, 2008, to holders of record of its preferred stock as of June 2, 2008: a $10 per share cash dividend on its 4% Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock issued in December 2004; and a $3.59375 per share cash dividend on its 5.75% Mandatory Convertible Preferred Stock issued in February 2006. A Fortune 500 company, NRG Energy, Inc. owns and operates a diverse portfolio of power generating facilities, primarily in Texas and in the Northeast, South Central and West. Its operations include base-load,  intermediate, peaking, and cogeneration and thermal energy production facilities. NRG also has ownership interests in generating facilities in Australia and Germany. NRG 5/30/08 

HydroGen Corp. cutting jobs HydroGen Corp., a maker of fuel cell systems, said Wednesday it plans to cut 76 jobs, or about 64 percent of its work force, because of a "difficult equity market." Cleveland-based HydroGen employs about 65 at a hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing plant in Versailles, Pa. It said the job cuts would come from the Versailles plant, as well as plants in Cleveland and Ashtabula, Ohio. In a statement, HydroGen CEO John Freeh said, "while we have made significant strides in advancing our technology to the commercialization stage, we must face the reality of the difficult equity market we find ourselves in"  Pittsburgh Business Times 5/29/08
 

Fralinger honored by South Jersey ASCE Albert A. Fralinger Jr., has been named Distinguished Civil Engineer of the Year by the South Jersey Branch of the American Society of Civil Engineers. Fralinger is a civil engineering graduate from The Citadel with continuing education studies from Rutgers University Extension Division, Stockton State College and NJSPLS Conferences. Fralinger is a Professional Engineer licensed in New Jersey, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Delaware. He is a longtime member of the N.J. Society of Municipal Engineers, National Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Highway Engineers and The Society of American Military Engineers. In 1966, he founded Fralinger Engineering. Fralinger now serves as the chairman of the board and primarily is responsible for all public relations and marketing for the firm Bridgeton News 5/28/08

Tire recycler receives VC funding Lancaster, PA-based tire recycler, Ecore International has received $29M in equity financing from Element Partners, a Philadelphia-based venture capital fund that specializes in clean technology companies. The investment will accelerate Ecore’s domestic and global expansion as well as support continued development of new products and partnerships. Ecore recycles around 80 million pounds of tire rubber each year, converting the scrap tires into products for the construction, consumer, commercial, industrial, sports, fitness and recreation markets. Recycling Today 5/27/08

Berkey, Toft among New Jersey’s most prominent real estate attorneys
Wolff and Samson  partners Mitchell Berkey  and Dennis Toft  have been named by
 Real Estate New Jersey to its list of the state’s most prominent real estate attorneys, as featured in the magazine’s April issue. Berkey was recognized by the magazine for his involvement in a wide range of large-scale and unique transactions, including the development and financing of the Meadowlands Xanadu project in East Rutherford. In addition, it referred to his work on the Times Square E Walk Project and the
restructuring of a national syndication firm. Toft, chairman of the state’s Brownfields
Site Remediation Task Force, was noted for his work on significant brownfields site acquisitions and redevelopments in municipalities and along railroad right-of-ways throughout the state. He also was recognized as one of the lead attorneys negotiating with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to establish guidelines for risk transfer agreements that will serve as a model for future brownfields transactions around the state. Wolff & Samson PC is a West Orange, NJ-based law firm of 120 attorneys.  The firm provides a wide range of legal services in many areas, including bankruptcy, corporate & securities, employment, environmental, ERISA, fidelity & surety, financial services, franchising, government & regulatory affairs, healthcare,
 intellectual property, litigation, product liability & toxic tort, public finance, real estate, tax, technology and trusts & estates. 5/23/08 

PPL EnergyPlus names senior vice president for trading As part of a continuing initiative to strengthen its competitive energy business, PPL Corporation’s (NYSE: PPL) trading and marketing subsidiary announced today that it has named an industry veteran as its senior vice president for trading. Robert D. Gabbard, who has served as senior vice president of merchant trading operations of Delaware-based Conectiv Energy since 2005, will have responsibility for PPL EnergyPlus’ energy trading operation. As senior vice president of PPL EnergyPlus, he will report to Joe Hopf, president of PPL EnergyPlus, along with Gene Alessandrini, senior vice president for marketing PPL 5/22/08

 

Sterns & Weinroth attorney recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyer
Frank J. Petrino has been named to the New Jersey Super Lawyers® list for four consecutive years.  Serving as Chair
of the firm's Real Estate/Transactional Practice Group, he focuses his practice on the acquisition, development and financing of real estate. Mr. Petrino enjoys a statewide reputation in the complex area of New Jersey Redevelopment Law and has represented numerous clients regarding Brownfield’s sites. Petrino is one of three Sterns & Weinroth attorneys selected after an extensive survey and peer review conducted by Law & politics Media. Also named as New Jersey Super Lawyers were: William J. Bigham; Managing Director and a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, and Michael A. Spero, Director and a Member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Sterns & Weinroth has provided quality legal services and personalized attention, from its Trenton location, for almost 40 years within its five principal practice areas: Administrative/Governmental, Bankruptcy/Creditors’ Rights, Gaming, Litigation and Real Estate/Transactional.  5/21/08  

Aqua Wastewater and Smithfield Beef Group partner on grease services Aqua Wastewater Management, Inc. of Bryn Mawr, PA, has announced hat it has
signed an agreement with Mopac of Souderton, Montgomery County, PA, a division of Smithfield Beef Group, that will allow both companies to provide specific grease-removal services to customers. "This is a unique agreement that allows Aqua and Mopac to grow our operations in specific areas of the grease removal business by concentrating our resources on our predominant services," explained Aqua Wastewater Management president Anthony J. Donatoni. Aqua Wastewater Management specializes in grease trap work, and Mopac specializes in fryer grease pickup work. Under the agreement, both companies will cooperatively offer these combined services to their respective customers. Aqua Wastewater Management is a non-regulated commercial and  residential wastewater services subsidiary of Aqua America, Inc. (NYSE:WTR) - a
large, U.S.-based publicly-traded water and wastewater utility serving approximately three million people in Pennsylvania, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, New Jersey, New York, Indiana, Florida, Virginia, Maine, Missouri and South Carolina. Aqua America is listed on the New York and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol WTR. Mopac is a division of Smithfield Beef Group of Souderton, Pennsylvania and has been in business for over 125 years. Mopac uses state-of-the-art equipment that enables them to service a variety of containers along with automated scheduling to accommodate the individualized needs of customers 5/21/08

 

Jersey firm gets sewerage sludge combustion contract  Bionomic Industries,
Inc. of Mahwah, NJ has been awarded a contract by C&H Industrial, Inc. (Contractor for Stony Brook Sewerage Authority) to design and furnish a Wet Electrostatic Precipitator to act as an emission polishing device before final gas treatment in a Durr regenerative afterburner. The new WESP will be installed downstream of existing venturi and tray scrubber units. The WESP is designed to remove PM 2.5 sub-micron particulates and heavy metals from a municipal sludge combustion unit. ThomasNet 5/19/08

Canadian Oil Co. to seek approval for LNG facility of NJ coast Canadian Superior Energy Inc. or an affiliate plans to announce Monday that it will apply for permission to build a liquefied natural gas terminal off the coast of New Jersey. The possibility of building offshore LNG terminals off Sandy Hook and other New Jersey locations has already sparked protests from activists like Clean Ocean Action and politicians like Rep. Frank J. Pallone Jr., a New Jersey Democrat, who argue that LNG facilities harm the environment. Also reportedly exploring such terminals are ExxonMobil Corp. and Atlantic Sea Island Group. Njbiz.com  5/16/08

Donald L. Correll Elected to New Jersey Resources Board of Directors New Jersey Resources (NJR) today announced the election of Donald L. Correll to its board
of directors. Mr. Correll is president and chief executive officer at American Water, the largest water services provider in North America. “Don Correll is an accomplished leader who has earned a well-deserved reputation for professional excellence and exceptional service in the water utility industry. His extensive industry experience will be a welcome addition to our board,” said Laurence M. Downes, chairman and CEO of NJR. For more than three decades, Mr. Correll has held leadership roles in the water industry. As president and CEO of American Water, he leads a team of nearly 7,000 employees who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to approximately 15.6 million people in 32 states as well as Ontario, Canada.  Before joining American Water, Mr. Correll served as president and CEO of Pennichuck Corp., a New Hampshire-based water utility holding company. Prior to that he spent 25 years with United Water Resources, a leading investor-owned water services company, where he served as chairman, president and CEO from 1991 through 2001. Under his direction, the company's market capitalization increased from $400M to $1.8B and its revenue base grew from $150M to $500M. He is also credited with expanding the United Water customer base from 1 million in two states to 7.5 million in 19 states NJR 5/16/08

Luxury builder Toll Brothers says quarterly sales drop 30% Toll Brothers Inc. continued to wade through a tough housing market in its fiscal second quarter as preliminary revenue fell 30 percent. President and CEO Robert I. Toll said the just-ended spring selling season was weak and CFO Joel Rassman said the high-end builder will continue to face "challenging times ahead."  Revenue declined to $817.9M from $1.17B for the same period a year ago. Toll also faced a sagging backlog -- homes sold but not completed -- which was halved compared with the same time last year: $2.08B compared to $4.15B. Cancellations improved slightly but were still a factor. During the quarter, the Horsham, Pa., company's cancellation rate stood at 24.9 percent, down from 28.4 percent. Philadelphia Business Journal 5/13/08

Kohl's Implements Solar Power in Northeast Stores Kohl's Corp. announced that
it plans to convert more than 50 of its existing New Jersey, Connecticut and Maryland locations to solar power, representing nearly 80 percent of its locations in these three states. Currently Kohl's operates 34 stores in New Jersey, 17 in Connecticut and 16 in Maryland. With the East Coast solar installation, Kohl's will be the largest retail host of solar power, and its distributed solar program is now the largest in the world among retailers. In a distributed solar program, silent, renewable energy is produced and used at the same location requiring no transmission infrastructure Business Wire 5/13/08

Hovnanian prices new stock issue Hovnanian Enterprises, Inc. has priced a
14-million-share offering of its Class A common stock at $9.50 per share, about 60 percent lower than the stock's year-ago price, according to the company. Like other builders, Red Bank-NJ based Hovnanian has suffered from the housing collapse and reported a $130.9M loss on $1.1B of revenue for the first fiscal quarter. In the year-ago period, the company posted a $54.6M loss on $1.2B of revenue. The stock offering is expected to close on May 14 and the proceeds will be used for general corporate purposes, according to the company's announcement. Hovnanian's stock opened
today at $9.39, down from $9.60 at yesterday's close. NJBIZ 5/9/08

PSEG names H. C. Shin to board of directors Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) has elected Hak Cheol (H.C.) Shin to its Board of Directors, effective May 8, 2008. Mr. Shin is executive vice president, industrial and transportation business, at
the 3M Company of St. Paul, MN. “Mr. Shin has achieved a strong record of operational experience in the technology and consumer products business arena,” said Ralph Izzo, chairman, president and CEO of PSEG.  “This will make him especially valuable to our company as it increasingly focuses on operational excellence as the key to success and future growth.” Mr. Shin has been with 3M since 1984 and has held posts with increasingly broader responsibilities. He became a division vice president in 2001 and was named an executive vice president in 2005. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from Seoul National University. PSEG  5/9/08

New Jersey scrap dealer expands into Pennsylvania A growing New Jersey-based scrap metal recycling company has extended its reach into Western Pennsylvania with the $76M acquisition of the Snyder Group, a local scrap recycler, headquartered on Neville Island. Metalico Inc., of Cranford, N.J., near Newark, said the purchase gives it the opportunity to expand its business at a time when the scrap recycling industry is benefiting from soaring prices and increased demand. "Given the favorable market trends and the high scrap steel prices that we are experiencing, it is
a timely period to increase our exposure to the ferrous (containing iron) commodities," said Carlos E. Aguero, Metalico's CEO. Snyder, a family-owned business in its third generation, generated sales of $120M and shipped 300,000 gross tons of ferrous and non-ferrous metals in 2007, according to Metalico. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 5/9/08

 

Foster Wheeler elects new director Maureen B. Tart-Bezer joins board of directors, effective today. Tart-Bezer, 52, most recently served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Virgin Mobile USA. Before joining Virgin Mobile USA, she was the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the American Express Company, U.S. Consumer Charge Group. Her background also includes 23 years with AT&T Corporation, where she served in various senior financial positions, including Senior Vice President and Corporate Controller as well as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for the Consumer Services Group. Tart-Bezer currently serves on the board of directors of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, Inc., and is a former member of the board of directors of Playtex Products, Inc. Tart-Bezer has a BS in Accounting from St. Peter's College in New Jersey and an MBA from New York University. She has successfully completed the CPA exam in the state of New Jersey. Today's action expands the size of the Foster Wheeler board to 10 members. Foster Wheeler Ltd. is a global company offering, through its subsidiaries, a broad range of engineering, procurement, construction, manufacturing, project development and management, research and plant operation services. The company is based in Hamilton, Bermuda, and its operational headquarters are in Clinton, NJ Foster Wheeler 5/6/08

PSEG Announces 2008 First Quarter results Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) reported today First Quarter 2008 Income from Continuing Operations of $434 million or $0.85 per share as compared to $321 million or $0.63 per share for the First Quarter of 2007.  Excluding the premium on bond redemptions of $1 million (related to asset sales) recognized during the first quarter of 2008, Operating Earnings for the first quarter were $435 million or $0.85 per share.  Operating earnings were the same as Income from Continuing Operations for the first quarter of 2007.  Including Income from Discontinued Operations, PSEG reported Net Income for the First Quarter of 2008 of $448 million or $0.88 per share compared to Net Income for the First Quarter of 2007 of $329 million or $0.65 per share. PSEG  5/6/08

> Greener cleaners, thanks to PSEG The Newark energy company is partnering with the Hanger Network, a New York-based company, to deliver thousands of PSEG-branded EcoHangers to nearly 80 dry cleaners across New Jersey. The hangers, made from recycled paper, are 100 percent recyclable Star-Ledger 5/6/08

 

Argent Associates  names principal geologist Lloyd W. La Brie, P.G. has been named Principal Geologist at Argent Associates. Mr. La Brie is a consulting geologist with over 25 years experience. His expertise is in soil and groundwater investigation and remediation. He is experienced in modeling the fate and transport of contaminants in soils and ground water and developing technical strategies for remediation. He supports site redevelopment, ongoing facility operations and various types of infrastructure improvement. Mr. La Brie brings significant remedial services capabilities to Argent which focuses on environmental issues affecting private sector businesses throughout New Jersey. Argent was founded in 2003 and is located in Raritan Center. Additional information can be found at www.argent-ees.com  5/6/08

 

Rohm and Haas names president The Philadelphia-based, chemical company has named Pierre R. Brondeau president and chief operating officer. Chairman and CEO Raj L. Gupta had been serving as president following the retirement of President and COO J. Michael Fitzpatrick in 2005, a company spokeswoman said. Overseeing the direction of the company will be a new committee whose members include Gupta, Brondeau, and Chief Financial Officer Jacques M. Croisetiere. Brondeau had been executive vice president and business group executive. Philadelphia Business Journal 5/5/08

Hovnanian Enterprises' 2nd Quarter results The Red Bank, NJ homebuilder
today announced preliminary operating results for the second quarter ended April 30, 2008. The Company delivered 2,494 homes during its second quarter, a decrease of 21% from the same quarter a year ago, excluding home deliveries from unconsolidated joint ventures in both periods.  As a result of management's continued focus and progress in reducing inventory investment levels and generating cash flow, the Company is increasing its projection for positive cash flow in fiscal 2008 to greater than $300 million. The Company's prior guidance was for cash flow in excess of $100 million for the full fiscal year. The Company achieved positive cash flow in the second quarter -- one quarter earlier than previously anticipated. Net debt was reduced by approximately $30 million in the second quarter. Net contracts for the second quarter were 2,226 homes,
a decrease of 29% from last year's second quarter, excluding net contracts from
unconsolidated joint ventures in both periods. Including joint ventures, net contracts declined by 27% from last year's second quarter. PR Newswire 5/5/08 

PSEG wants to expand into renewable energy Ralph Izzo, president and CEO of Public Service Enterprise Group, the Newark-based parent company of the state’s largest utility, says the company is "eager to invest much more expansively in renewables' but needs regulatory approval from the state's Board of Public Utilities (BPU). PSEG, which last month received BPU approval to launch a solar investment program, has proposed building a 350-megawatt offshore wind farm in South Jersey. The publicly traded company has also filed with the BPU a proposal to implement six carbon-abatement pilot programs geared to reducing energy consumption through measures such as energy audits, programmable thermostats and upgrading lighting with compact fluorescent light bulbs.  In addition, PSEG has requested BPU approval to test technology that allows customers to monitor their energy use. NJBIZ 5/5/08

Aqua America expands Florida operations with $1.6Million acquisition Aqua America, Inc. of  Bryn Mawr, PA announced today that its Florida subsidiaries have purchased a regulated wastewater and a local irrigation system valued at approximately $1.6 million. The newly acquired wastewater system, which will be operated as a regulated utility, serves approximately 3,000 residents in the Fountain Lakes development in Estero, Lee County, Florida. The company also purchased the community’s independent irrigation system, which is supplied by on-site wells and ponds and is used by nearly 1,000 residents. Aqua said it plans to invest approximately $400,000 over the next several years in capital improvements to the system. Aqua already provides water and wastewater services to about 110,000 Florida residents. In other recent developments, the company renewed a five-year contract to manage and operate a water system that serves nearly 22,000 residents in Horsham, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Aqua Ohio signed an 18-month agreement to operate the water system that serves the Atwood Lake resort and conference center in Carroll and Tuscarawas counties. Collectively, those contracts are expected to generate total revenues in excess of $1.8 million. Aqua America is a publicly traded water and wastewater utility holding company with operating subsidiaries serving approximately three million people in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, North Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Florida, New Jersey, Indiana, Virginia, Maine, Missouri and South Carolina. Aqua America is listed on both the New York and Philadelphia Stock Exchanges under the ticker symbol WTR Business Wire 5/5/08

 

An "ocean" of difference On the conference room bookshelf behind Fred Grassle's shoulder, there's a copy of "Fishes of the Gulf of Maine," a classic illustrated oceanographic book that has fascinated generations of fishermen, students and scientists since it first appeared in 1925. In the 19 years since Grassless helped organize the Rutgers University Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, the organization has earned its own place in the annals of ocean science — and helped the public better understand how the ocean affects them. Rutgers robots cruising offshore help predict ocean weather, like the bone-chilling upwellings of cold water in mid-summer, while the institute's Internet connections let elementary school students join scientists in tracking fish migrations. Conceived partly in response to New Jersey's pollution crises of the late 1980s, the institute took just a decade to join the ranks of other top-flight research centers and begin pioneering new uses for robotic undersea exploration. Now Grassle is handing off his job as institute director to Francisco Werner, a professor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill who heads the ocean processes computer modeling laboratory there Asbury Park Press 4/30/08

NYPA picks Astoria Energy to build NYC power plant The New York Power Authority (NYPA) Trustees Tuesday authorized the selection of Astoria Energy LLC to build a new power plant in New York City to supply its governmental customers. In a release, the state-owned Power Authority said privately held Astoria Energy plans to build a second 500-megawatt natural gas-fueled plant in Queens to supply power under a proposed 20-year contract with NYPA. Astoria Energy expects the new plant, which is fully licensed, to enter service by the summer of 2011 Reuters 4/29/08

Two new appointments at NRG Energy, Inc.  Jonathan Baliff will join the Company as Executive Vice President, Strategy on May 1. In this role, Baliff will lead the development and implementation of NRG's corporate strategy as well as NRG's effort to enhance shareholder value through acquisitions and business alliances. The company also has announced that Michael Liebelson has joined as Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer-Low-Carbon Technology. In his new role, Liebelson will oversee NRG's current no- and low-carbon technology initiatives including coal gasification, carbon capture and sequestration and biomass, and will lead NRG's efforts to capitalize on other emerging energy technologies as they are developed. Since 1996, Baliff served as Managing Director of Credit Suisse's Global Energy Group, where he advised electric utility and independent power companies on more than $70B of mergers and acquisition assignments and $30 billion in project financings. He also headed up the Credit Suisse First Boston Global Business Development Council--an internal group of bankers focused on new product development. Earlier, he was in JP Morgan's Natural Resources and Power Group where he focused on various strategic and capital raising assignments. Baliff is replacing Steve Winn, who earlier this month took the helm of NRG's recently formed nuclear development company with Toshiba--Nuclear Innovation North America LLC--that markets, finances and invests in new, advanced-design nuclear projects in competitive electricity markets. Liebelson has over 25 years of experience developing and financing independent power projects. Most recently, he has been involved in various initiatives and regulatory efforts in the power generation area, including coal gasification, and carbon capture and sequestration. In 1990, Liebelson co-founded LS Power Corporation, which he co-managed for eight years, successfully developing and financing several utility-scale independent power projects. Prior to forming LS Power, Liebelson was co-head of Commercial Union Energy Corporation and conceived and headed the independent power business for Ahlstrom-Pyropower. He has an extensive background in chemical and refinery process technology development, having worked for Exxon and Air Products and Chemicals. In addition, he has invested in several biotechnology ventures, including Zolaris Biosciences LLC, of which he was CEO.
Baliff news release   Liebelson news release  4/28/2008

American Water stock sees 4% dip on first day The owner of Pennsylvania American and New Jersey American subsidiaries, which serve parts of the Lehigh Valley, PA and Warren County, NJ opened trading at $21.50 a share on the New York Stock Exchange. The stock fell 90 cents, or 4.2 percent, to close at $20.60. Shares, which dropped another 4 cents in after-hours activity, list under the symbol AWK.
The Voorhees, NJ-based company owns New Jersey American Water, which serves communities in Warren County and Frenchtown in Hunterdon County. Its Pennsylvania American subsidiary serves 14 towns in Northampton County, PA Express-Times 4/24/08

Air Products prospering Air Products and Chemicals Inc. on Wednesday reported a 38 percent increase in quarterly profits, driven by increased sales, rising prices and a weak dollar Express-Times 4/24/08

PPL Names Regional Community Relations Director Teri MacBride, an economic development veteran, former Peace Corps volunteer and a lifelong resident of central Pennsylvania, has been named PPL’s regional community relations director covering the Bloomsburg, Sunbury, Danville and Shamokin areas. PPL  4/24/08

Edward A. Hogan to speak on Underground Storage Tanks at NJDEP course Edward A. Hogan, a member of the Somerville, NJ law firm Norris McLaughlin &  Marcus,  P.A., will speak at a Rutgers University seminar  entitled Underground Storage Tanks: NJDEP's Regulatory Training on May 6, 2008 at the Cook Campus in New Brunswick, NJ. This course is for anyone who works with Underground Storage Tanks (USTs), whether  seeking  certification  for  the first time or in need of recertification.  Session  topics  include New Jersey UST  Regulations and Corrective  Action  for Soil and Ground Water. Participants will acquire the regulatory information they need to stay current with New Jersey's UST requirements and to help  their  clients  or  employers  avoid potential penalty. Tank owners, consultants, engineers, contractors, health officers, geologists, soil  scientists and attorneys are  strongly  encouraged to attend. The New Jersey  Department  of Environmental Protection's Bureau of Underground  Storage Tanks has approved the course for the certification or recertification of individuals who conduct work on regulated underground storage tanks in the state.
For more information on the seminar,  please  visit the  Rutgers registration web site at http://www.cpe.rutgers.edu.  A  resident  of  Liberty Corner, NJ, Hogan is Co-Chair of Norris McLaughlin's Environmental Law Group. Hogan is listed in  three categories in the current edition of  The Best  Lawyers  In  America: Environmental  Law,  Energy  Law,  and  Natural Resources  Law. He has been included in the Environmental Law section since 1993.  In addition, Hogan has served numerous leadership roles with the New Jersey  State  Bar  Association,  Commerce  and Industry Association of  New Jersey,   New  Jersey  Business  and  Industry  Association, Environmental Business Association of New Jersey,  New  Jersey OSHA  & Industry Communication Alliance, and Technical Regulations Advisory Coalition. 4/18/08

Flaster/Greenberg environmental attorneys on bar association panel Flaster/Greenberg attorneys Mitchell H. Kizner, Donna T. Urban and John G. Koch will be among five panelists discussing “New Developments in Environmental Litigation” at a New Jersey State Bar Association (NJSBA) Environmental Law Section program on Thursday, May 8, 2008 at 9 a.m. at the New Jersey Law Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Kizner, a shareholder in the Environmental Law, Real Estate and Land Use Practice Groups, is chair of the Litigation Committee of the Environmental Law Section of the NJSBA.  Kizner represents clients in environmental and insurance matters as part of his active litigation and commercial law practice. Urban, a shareholder in the Environmental Law Practice Group, concentrates her practice on environmental regulation and litigation.  She handles disputes involving complex environmental litigation in state and federal courts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania.  Her experience also includes commercial litigation and contract disputes as well as representing and advising clients in matters concerning compliance with environmental laws and regulations. Koch is a member of the Environmental Law and Litigation Practice Group.  He concentrates his practice in environmental litigation and regulatory compliance and handles environmental litigation in the state and federal courts of New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York.  He also counsels clients in matters concerning compliance with state and federal environmental laws and regulations. The program is open to all members of the Environmental Law Section and invited guests. The fee is $10, which includes registration and continental breakfast. To register by the deadline of May 2, 2008, visit www.njsba.com or call the NJSBA Meetings Department at (732) 249-5000 4/17/08

Monmouth University President named to Ocean Research Advisory panel
University President Paul G. Gaffney II has been appointed to the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel (ORRAP)  for a four-year term, effective April 14.  As a statutorily authorized panel, the members provide independent advice on ocean scientific and ocean resource management issues to the heads of federal agencies involved in ocean matters such as the President's Science Advisor, the Administrator of NOAA, Director of National Science Foundation, and the Secretary of the Navy. Limited to 18 members, ORRAP is comprised of individuals from the National Academies, state government, academia, and ocean industries. The current chair is Dr. Jerry Schubel, director of the Pacific Aquarium. President Gaffney was elected a vice-chair.
Gaffney, who became president in 2003 of Monmouth University in West Long Branch, NJ, is a retired Navy Vice Admiral, a respected academic leader. He was president of the National Defense University from 2000 to 2003. Prior to assuming those duties, he was the Chief of Naval Research with responsibility for science and technology
investment, a substantial part of which supported basic research in American universities. He was appointed to the statutory U.S. Ocean Policy Commission in July 2001, and served during its full tenure from 2001 to 2004.  Under the leadership of President Gaffney, the Urban Coast Institute (UCI) was established in September 2005 as one of Monmouth University's "Centers of Distinction." News release 4/17/08

Rohm and Haas in Saudi joint venture Rohm and Haas Co. and a Saudi Arabian company are establishing a joint venture called the Saudi Acrylic Monomer Co. that will make acrylic acid and related products that will be marketed in the Middle East. The Philadelphia chemical company and Tasnee Sahara Olefins Co. plan to produce 250,000 metric tons of acrylic acid in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, beginning in 2011. When completed, the plant will employ approximately 225 people