Prominent Phila. law firms in merger talks Cozen O'Connor and Wolf Block Schorr & Solis-Cohen are
in "serious" merger talks regarding what would be the largest-ever combination of Philadelphia law firms and create the largest Philadelphia law office, management at both firms confirmed late Thursday. "They are serious discussions but we're still in the preliminary stages, and we have a long way to go before anything is finalized," Cozen O'Connor founder and Chairman Stephen Cozen said. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/29/06

Agency proposes to list  polar bears as threatened The state Department of Environmental Conservation says the Albany region is one of the areas in New York state that is losing land to development at a rapid rate.
The DEC said land is being consumed for development in the Albany area at a rate that is three times greater than the rate of population growth. In a 50-mile radius of New York City, the rate of land development is six times greater than population growth, the DEC said  The Business Review (Albany) 12/28/06

Buoyed by healthy '06, small manufacturers in New York State are optimistic In November, more than half of the 200 manufacturing executives surveyed said general business conditions were improving, and throughout 2006, the index indicated a positive outlook for most manufacturers. But auto parts makers and other large manufacturers in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse face pressures from high health care costs, pensions and international competition The Business Review (Albany) 12/27/06

American Water selling $900M in senior notes American Water said late Thursday that a subsidiary has agreed to sell $900 million in senior unsecured notes. The notes will be sold by American Water Capital Corp. in a private placement, American Water said. The maturities will range from 7 to 15 years and have coupon rates of 5.39 percent to 5.77 percent. The sale will be spread over three closing dates, the first of which was Thursday, the company said. American Water of Voorhees, NJ, provides water, wastewater and related services to 17 million people in 29 states and Canada. Its corporate parent, RWE AG of Essen, Germany, plans to spin it off in a public offering next year. Philadelphia Business Journal   12/22/06

NRG Energy, Inc. announces senior management changes In line with the Company's rapidly expanding business opportunities, NRG Energy, Inc. has made the following leadership changes. Thad Hill has been named Regional President for NRG Texas in Houston, and Steve Winn, having successfully led the integration of Texas Genco, returns to the Company's Princeton, NJ headquarters as the head of Strategy, Environmental and New Business. Both positions are effective immediately. In his new role, Hill succeeds Winn in managing NRG's largest regional portfolio of power generating assets, totaling over 10,500 megawatts of power in Texas. As head of Strategy, Environmental and New Business, Winn will identify opportunities to enhance NRG's competitive position in the energy industry and increase revenue growth through acquisitions and alliances. News release 12/22/06

SWEP honors Kathy Klein, executive director of the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary The   Society of Women Environmental Professionals of Greater Philadelphia (SWEP) recently honored Kathy Klein, left, with its annual Touchstone Award at a special reception in Philadelphia. Lisa P. Jackson, right, Commissioner for New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, was the event's keynote speaker. Commissioner Jackson praised Kline for serving as a mentor to younger women and for facilitating working relationships between the public and private sectors for the betterment of the environment. The Partnership for the Delaware Estuary, a 10-year-old 501c(3) non-profit environmental organization, focuses on the preservation and protection of the Delaware River Estuary, which stretches from Trenton to the mouth of the Delaware Bay.  The Delaware Estuary Program is one of only 28 estuary programs in the nation, and although it is a private organization, works collaboratively with, and receives funding from, EPA, and each of the three estuary states (NJ, PA and DE).  The Partnership also works closely with local governments and DRBC, as well as many businesses and individuals throughout the region. Klein has been the leader of the organization for the last eight years.  12/20/06

NRG Energy, Inc. to build coal-gasification power plant in western New York NRG Energy, Inc., of
Princeton, NJ (NYSE:NRG) has received a conditional award of a contract from the New York Power Authority
(NYPA) to build an innovative, 680 net megawatt (MW), Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) plant at
its Huntley facility in Tonawanda, NY. The project, which represents a total project cost of approximately $1.5B,
is scheduled to go into commercial operation in 2013. Unlike other technologies some refer to as "clean coal,"|
this plant can be designed to capture and sequester carbon from the first day of operation. "New York should be commended for exercising great courage and leadership in tackling head on the country's single biggest issue, global warming, while embracing coal--our most affordable, abundant domestic fuel source," said David Crane,
NRG President and Chief Executive Officer. "While we realize this is only the beginning of a long road to implementation, we are gratified to be part of such an important milestone and we look forward to working with
New York to begin construction of this important technology by 2008." While NRG's proposal was selected, the award is "conditional" in that the cost of the IGCC technology is above current market pricing for new coal plants using more traditional technology that doesn't have the option to capture and sequester carbon. NRG and NYPA are establishing a strategic alliance to pursue tax credits or other federal and/or state funding sources to bridge this economic gap. News release 12/20/2006 

Chemical firms trade ingredients FMC Corp. and BASF have entered into several new multiyear supply agreements that the companies said will allow each of them to expand their crop protection portfolios in several
key crop segments. The agreements will grant BASF access within the United States to a proprietary insecticidal chemistry owned by FMC, a Philadelphia chemical company. In return, FMC will gain access within the United States to two active ingredients owned by BASF, a chemical company based in Germany. FMC
will be using the chemicals to develop premix products that, for example, will be used as an herbicide for use in soybeans, sunflowers and tobacco. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/19/06

Warm weather not so hot for Rohm and Haas salt sales Warmer pre-winter weather has pinched road
salt sales for Rohm and Haas Co., forcing the chemical company to lower its earnings projections, the company said Tuesday. Rohm and Haas also said Tuesday it had laid off 200 workers as part of a previously announced restructuring. The Philadelphia-based chemical company (NYSE:ROH) said it will take a $12M charge related to severance and other layoff-related expenses, and fourth-quarter earnings will be reduced by 5 cents a share. The company now expects fourth-quarter earnings from continuing operations to be 75 to 79 cents a share. Analysts had estimated 79 cents a share, according to Thomson Financial. Rohm and Haas still anticipates $8.3B in sales for the year. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/19/06

Trammell Crow stockholders OK planned merger with CB Richard Ellis Trammell Crow Co.'s shareholders have approved the proposed buyout and subsequent merger with CB Richard Ellis Group Inc.
at a special meeting. Dallas-based Trammell Crow  officials expect the merger to be finalized Dec. 20.
If the merger is completed as planned, Trammell Crow's shareholders will receive $49.51 in cash for each share of stock they own. The previously announced deal is valued at $1.79B. Including debt and integration costs, the total transaction is worth $2.2B. The Federal Trade Commission already approved Trammell Crow's merger with Los Angeles-based CB Richard Ellis Nov. 24. Trammell Crow and CB Richard Ellis provide commercial real estate services worldwide. Both firms have a strong presence in the Philadelphia area. CB Richard Ellis has 78 licensed brokers, while Trammell Crow has 51, according to the Philadelphia Business Journal's 2006 Book of Lists. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/18/06

WPCS nabs treatment plant pact WPCS International Inc. is getting into sludge. The Exton, PA., company said its Clayborn Contracting Group subsidiary has been awarded a $3.3Mcontract by the city of Lincoln, Calif.,
to build a system that uses solar energy to turn liquid sludge produced by a wastewater treatment plant into an environmentally safe solid. Philadelphia Business Journal 12/18/06

Incubator sponsors pick company for environmental study Barton & Loguidice P.C. has been selected to conduct an environmental impact study and supervise any necessary remediation of the planned Adirondack Regional Business Incubator site in Glens Falls, N.Y. The Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corp. is in charge of developing the incubator, which is envisioned as the first home for small, technology-minded companies in the region. A 75-year-old building at 36 Elm St. has been picked as the site for the incubator. "B&L has been providing environmental engineering consultant services in the Northeast for over 40 years," said Steve Le Fevre, managing geologist for B&L. "We are excited to be able to help the Greater Glens Falls Local Development Corporation move forward with the development of the Adirondack Regional Business Incubator facility so that economic growth can occur in the region." Possible environmental problems with the 36 Elm St. site include a boiler tank in the basement of the building and potential contamination dating back to its use as an automobile repair shop in the 1930s. The Business Review (Albany) 12/18/06

Builders use write-downs to negate market woes In accounting circles, it is known as the "big bath"
when companies try to wash away as much bad news as possible with the hope that charges taken all at
once will make their finances look better in the quarters to come.  That's something the nation's home
builders could be up to lately. With their profits plunging due to a sharp drop in sales of new homes, many
are taking big write downs in their land values and other assets because they are worth less than they paid
for them Star-Ledger 12/18/2006  

Kirkpatrick Lockhart, Preston Gates to merge The partnerships of Pittsburgh-based Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham and Seattle's Preston Gates & Ellis have approved a proposed merger between the two firms. The votes took place Dec. 14, and the merger will go into effect Jan. 1, creating a firm of 1,400 lawyers and 21 offices throughout North America, Europe and Asia. The new firm will operate under the legal name of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis, but will be branded as K&L Gates.  LAW.COM 12/18/06

Environmental consultant's work on brownfields questioned by EPA The work of a Central Ohio enviro-  consultant has been questioned by state regulators, leading to delays and possibly higher costs for some construction projects. The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency notified Dennis A. Smalley in November it likely won't renew his state certification to oversee environmental rehabilitation projects. He runs Lancaster-based Smalley & Associates Inc., an environmental services consulting firm that has worked on several environmental reclamation projects. After conducting tests, Smalley submitted a "no further action" letter to
the EPA that asked for a covenant not to sue. The agency said Smalley's letter contained "key deficiencies" that raised red flags. The agency said it later discovered that wells Smalley drilled to determine the extent of
ground pollution weren't deep enough. Columbus Business First 12/18/06

NRG Energy announces executive appointments NRG Energy, Inc of Princeton, NJ has named Drew Murphy as Executive Vice President and General Counsel, and appointed John Ragan as Executive Vice President and Regional President, Northeast. Both positions are effective December 18, 2006. In his new role, Murphy will advise and support NRG on all legal matters relevant to the Company in terms of compliance, governance and general business operations. Ragan will lead NRG's Northeast Region staff and oversee the Company's significant northeast asset portfolio, representing more than 7,000 megawatts of electricity.
NRC news release 12/15/06