EnviroPolitics
A daily compendium of environmental and political news and information

EnviroBusiness News….

NY bill would offer energy tax breaks to small businesses Businesses employing 20 or fewer
people would be eligible for a tax break based on electricity use under a bill proposed by the New York
state Senate's Republican majority. The bill would allow 386,000 eligible businesses to claim a two cents
credit on their state income taxes for each kilowatt hour of electricity they consumed during the year.
 The Business Review (Albany)  1/31/06

Exxon posts highest net profit ever for a U.S. company Exxon Mobil Corp. yesterday reported
the highest profit in U.S. history: $10.71 billion for the fourth quarter of 2005 and $36.13 billion for the
entire year. Propelled by record-high oil prices, the oil company's earnings sparked renewed calls from
some lawmakers on Capitol Hill for new taxes on oil company profits and for Exxon to spend more on
alternative sources of energy. Washington Post 1/31/06

Record $1.1B sales boosts profit at Sealed Air The Saddle Brook, NJ-based company says it
has more than doubled its profit for the fourth quarter while posting record sales of $1.1B. The maker of
protective and food packaging materials also said it would begin paying a quarterly dividend of 15 cents
a share, citing its strong balance sheet and cash flow. The dividend will be payable on March 17 to
shareholders as of March 3. Star-Ledger 1/31/06

Facing new competition, gambling towns see condos in the cards For those who wonder what might
happen to Atlantic City after slot-machine gambling starts in Pennsylvania later this year, Reno may offer
some clues. The town of about 200,000 at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains is wagering its future on
something beyond gambling. Inquirer  1/30/06

California unions wielding environmental law to threaten foes Labor unions are grabbing a well-used
environmental tool to wield against companies they don't like.  They're finding they don't have to lift it very high
to get what they want. The 35-year-old California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA, provides power that has
nothing to do with bad air or traffic. Opponents can use it to delay construction of a project long enough to cost
a company millions of dollars. That prospect alone makes the law an effective tool in the hands of unions, which
are using CEQA challenges more often as an organizing tool or to put pressure on a company to use union labor
in construction Sacramento Business Journal 1/30/06

In Florida, mold-elimination companies on the rise Two years ago Jim Thomas "didn't know beans about
mold" when a friend in Jacksonville suggested he consider starting a part-time business using a new product
created to kill it. But after he and some friends looked into it, they began talking about writing a business plan for
what would become Mold Elimination of Florida Inc. As they did due diligence on Mold2K, developed by a South
Carolina company, they did not find any products like it. "We determined that there was a lot of opportunity out
there if we marketed it right," said Thomas, CEO of Mold Elimination, which has exclusive use of Mold2K in
Florida. Mold Elimination, formed in September 2004, had about $500,000 in sales in 2005, most of which came
after changing marketing strategies in June. And with the company off to a strong start in 2006, Thomas is
projecting sales between $4.5 and $5 million. The Business Journal of Jacksonville

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Mittal Steel announces offer for Arcelor Mittal Steel N.V., the largest steel company in the world, has
launched an offer to the shareholders of Arcelor SA, presently the second largest steel company. Mittal says
that the combined company would have a capacity of more than 100 million tons of steel products.
Recycling Today  1/27/06

Nucor profit beats estimates, outlook bright Steelmaker Nucor Corp. (NUE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) on
Friday reported better-than-expected quarterly earnings and forecast strong first-quarter results, sending its shares
up 5 percent Reuters 1/27/06

UGI expanding PA customer base through deal UGI Corp. said today it has agreed to acquire the largest
natural-gas distributor in Pennsylvania for $580M. UGI of Valley Forge, PA., intends to buy PG Energy, which has
158,000 customers in 13 counties in northeastern and central PA. PG Energy is owned by Southern Union Co.
(NYSE: SUG) of Houston. Philadelphia Business Journal 1/27/06

Matthew T. Stanger joins Flaster/Greenberg’s real estate practice group Attorney Matthew T. Stanger
has recently joined Flaster/Greenberg P.C. as an associate in the Real Estate Practice Group, in Cherry Hill, NJ, concentrating his practice in land use and real estate development. Prior to joining the firm, he was an associate
at Porzio, Bromberg & Newman in Morristown, NJ where he handled transactional real estate matters involving
contract negotiations and disputes, and management of land use cases.  Before entering the legal profession,
Stanger was an engineer and manager for Applied Water Management, Inc., where he designed wastewater
disposal systems, coordinated septic system certifications and performed construction inspections. Admitted
to practice in New Jersey and New York, Stanger is a graduate of Rutgers University School of Law-Camden
(J.D. 2004), and Rutgers University, College of Engineering, (B.S., Bioenvironmental Engineering, 1996).
A resident of Springfield, NJ, he is a member of the New York State Bar Association. 1/27/06

Higher prices drive coal company CONSOL Energy Inc. had a "watershed" year in 2005 with record annual
earnings driven by higher energy prices. CONSOL (NYSE:CNX), a coal company based outside Pittsburgh in
Upper St. Clair, PA reported fourth-quarter earnings of $87.6M, or 94 cents per diluted share, up from $67.7M,
or 74 cents, earned in the final three months of 2004. Quarterly revenue reached $969.1M from $791.4M.
 Pittsburgh Business Times  1/26/06

Calgon Carbon wants China sanctioned Calgon Carbon Corp. and another U.S. producer of activated carbon
are seeking fines against China for the country's alleged "dumping" of activated carbon in the U.S. The petition by
Calgon Carbon, based near Pittsburgh in Robinson Township, PA., and Norit Americas Inc. of Marshall, TX,
alleges China dumped imports of activated carbon at 153 percent to 645 percent below fair value.
Pittsburgh Business Times 1/26/06

Michigan legislators propose new garbage disposal fee Michigan legislators are proposing a new refuse
disposal fee on haulers to discourage the influx of trash from out-of-state landfills. According to an article in the
Detroit Free Press, the $7.50-per-ton fee, which supporters say would raise $170 million per year, would fund loca
recycling programs. If approved by both the House and Senate, the fee would be placed before voters in November
Waste Age  
 

PENNVEST approvals $31M for water projects Eight more PA communities will be getting cleaner
drinking water and more efficient wastewater systems with PENNVEST’s approval today of $27M million worth
of low-interest loans and more than $3M in grants. The financial packages range from $422,000 to construct a
wastewater collection and treatment system in Juniata County to $11M for the installation and rehab of sewage
collection lines to eliminate the contamination of a creek in Westmoreland County PA-DEP 1/25/06

GE Global to get DOE funds for fuel-cell research General Electric's Global Research facility in Niskayuna,
NY, will receive a Department of Energy grant for research on hydrogen fuel cells. GE will receive $300,000 annually
for five years. The funding was part of $19M in awards announced on Jan. 24 by Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman.

The money is being targeted to advance fuel-cell membrane technology The Business Review (Albany) 1/25/06

Aqua America continues 'growth through acquisition' Aqua America Inc. said Tuesday that subsidiary
Aqua Pennsylvania Inc. acquired the water and wastewater systems serving a community in northeastern PA for
about $2.3M. Aqua America (NYSE: WTR) said the community is called Masthope and is in Lackawaxen, Pike
County. The systems serve about 2,700 residents, the company said, and are located near a water system the
company bought in 2003 Philadelphia Business Journal 1/25/06

Rohm and Haas to divest of wax-compounds line Rohm and Haas Co. said Wednesday it intends to sell
its global wax-compounds business, whose products are primarily used in graphic arts, to Hexion Specialty Chemicals
of Columbus, Ohio. The business is considered a small part of Rohm and Haas' architectural-and-functional coatings
division, said Carmen Ferrigno, a company spokesman. "We would consider it immaterial," he said in describing net
sales the line generates as part of the overall division Philadelphia Business Journal  1/25/06

Westinghouse to open new plant Westinghouse Electric Co., likely to soon be sold to Toshiba Corp. for $5B, said it will open a new plant on Friday. The Pittsburgh-based nuclear power plant designer said it will debut the $7M at its Waltz Mill site in Madison, PA. The plant will provide an additional 26,000 square feet of office and shop space to accommodate engineering and nuclear plant inspection services needs. Pittsburgh Business Times 1/25/06

Engelhard rejects sale offer by BASF Engelhard Corp. on Monday rejected an unsolicited $4.9 billion purchase offer by German chemicals giant BASF Bergen Record 1/24/06

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