NJ Considers New Offshore Wind Proposals
Last week, wind power developers proposed four new projects off the New Jersey Shore, a potential increase that would more than double the number of wind farms built off its coast if they are approved by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU).
At least two of the proposed wind farms would be built more than twice as far out to sea than others that have drawn the ire of residents who don’t want to see windmills on the horizon. These two projects would not be visible from the beach, the companies proposing them say.
They would join three wind farms already approved by New Jersey regulators as the state strives to become the East Coast capital of the fast-growing offshore wind industry.
The proposals unveiled Friday come in addition to the three projects already approved by New Jersey regulators. Orsted is building two wind farms, called Ocean Wind I and II. And Shell New Energies US and EDF Renewables North America are partnering on the Atlantic Shores project.
Murphy to Nominate New Health Commissioner
Last week, Governor Murphy announced that he plans to nominate Kaitlan Baston as the next Health Commissioner, following the announced retirement of current Commissioner Judith Persichelli.
Baston is a physician and addiction specialist who leads the Division of Addiction Medicine at Cooper University Medical Health Care and founded the Cooper Center for Healing.
Baston’s experience in addiction treatment and her role as an educator and consultant with an organization focused on baby and toddler health development make her an appealing pick for the Murphy administration which has made maternal and child mortality one of its signature issues.
Poll: NJ Residents want the State to keep NJ Transit Running
According to the most recent Rutgers-Eagleton poll, a majority of New Jersey residents polled said they want the state to step up with more funding for NJ Transit as the agency faces a growing fiscal cliff predicted to start in mid-2025.
The poll found 78% of respondents oppose service cuts, while 19% support cuts. 67% of respondents are against raising fares compared to 30% who support a far hike for commuters. The survey received feedback from a total of 1,002 adults who were interviewed by phone from April 27 to May 5.
Governor Murphy kept fares stable in the latest state budget signed in June, but the looming possibility of hikes and service cuts remain a real possibility for the future.
In April, a four-year budget forecasted that NJ Transit could face a $119.4 million fiscal shortfall as soon as fiscal year 2025, which starts on July 1, 2024. That deficit is predicted to increase to $917 million in fiscal year 2026 and hit $957 million in 2027 without a fare increase or an increase in state subsidies which are currently around $140 million annually.
RCSG Summer Reading Recommendations 2023
Since summer is a great time to catch up on some reading, the River Crossing Team put together the following list of book recommendations. Here is Part 2 of our staff summer reading recommendations:
Stephanie Albanese:
Tim White:
Yasmin Brissac:
Patrick Coveney:
Pineapple Street: A Novel; by Jenny Jackson
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