Obama Administration proposal would block oil shale development on federal lands in West
By Zack Colman – 11/09/12 02:07 PM ET
The Interior Department on Friday issued a final plan to close 1.6 million acres of federal land in the West originally slated for oil shale development.
The proposed plan would fence off a majority of the initial blueprint laid out in the final days of the George W. Bush administration. It faces a 30-day protest period and a 60-day process to ensure it is consistent with local and state policies. After that, the department would render a decision for implementation.
The move is sure to rankle Republicans, who say President Obama’s grip on fossil fuel drilling in federal lands is too tight.
Power Restoration – Arden Court, Grove Street, South Irving Street – Glen Rock and Ridgewood
November 8th 2012
Boyd A. Loving
11:30 AM
Ridgewood NJ, Lineman from B & B Electrical and Utility Contractors located in Brandon, Mississippi, worked on Thursday morning to restore power to dozens of residential customers located on Arden Court, Grove Street, and South Irving Street in Ridgewood and Glen Rock.
Christie Administration Urges Driver Safety and Precautions During Severe Weather
Trenton, NJ – Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police and Director of the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, is reminding the public about driving safety as more severe weather approaches the state.
Colonel Fuentes is reminding all state residents and commuters to reduce speed when any freezing rain, snow or sleet is falling, or when temperature is approaching or below freezing. Drivers are advised to drive with caution, follow the rules of the road, stay alert and be aware of the changing weather conditions.
Driving safety also involves having a pre-driving plan which includes making family aware of your travel, including routes and estimated times. Make sure your gas tank is full and have a winter survival kit to keep in your vehicle in case of a breakdown or road closures that may force you to stay in your car.
Winter survival kit for your vehicle:
• Warm Clothing
• Gloves
• Hat
• Flashlight with new batteries
• Bottles of water
• Snacks such as protein bars
• Bag of cat litter or ice melt
• Folding shovel
• Cell phone fully charged and car charger
For more information regarding winter safety information or to sign up for the NJOEM Twitter and Facebook pages, please log on to www.ready.nj.gov. Those without internet access can dial 211.
PATH Partial Service Restoration
November 5, 2012
3:30 p.m.
Following Hurricane Sandy, PATH will resume limited rail service on Tuesday, November 6, beginning at 5 a.m. Trains will run from Journal Square in Jersey City to 33rd Street in Manhattan and in the return direction until 10 p.m.
Stops will include:
Journal Square
Grove Street
Newport
14th Street
23rd Street
33rd Street
Limited PATH Service beginning November 6, 2012
For real-time status information, subscribe to PATH Alerts:
https://www.pathalerts.com/alertsignup.aspx
PSE&G Misses Service Restoration Deadline for Ridgewood
Nivember 4,2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Service Restoration Update: Currently about 73 percent of all PSE&G customers have power while 607,000 customers are still without power. At its peak, the storm impacted 1.7 million of PSE&G’s 2.2 million electric customers.
PSE&G missed its target for full restoration of the Village of Ridgewood and has now pushed in back to the 5th of November or sometime Monday .
PSE&G says , ” The significant progress we’ve made on the transmission system means we’re now increasingly focusing our efforts on our distribution system. This means that our work will be more visible in your neighborhood.”
More help is coming, ” we will have additional feet on the ground and more trucks rolling through New Jersey’s streets. Another 600 workers will be joining the more than 3,000 linemen and tree contractors already working in our area. The federal government is flying some of these workers and their equipment from California into McGuire Air Force Base, located near Trenton.
Christie Administration Announces Restoration of Limited Rail Service to Newark on Friday
Christie Administration Announces Restoration of Limited Rail Service to Newark on Friday
Northeast Corridor Service to Operation on a Special Schedule Between Trenton and Newark Penn Station
North Jersey Coast Line Service to Operate Between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station
Raritan Valley Line Service to Operate Between Raritan and Newark
Trenton, NJ – The Christie Administration announced the restoration of limited rail service on three of NJ TRANSIT’s rail lines starting Friday, November 2, as part of the Administration’s ongoing efforts to restore NJ TRANSIT service as soon as it becomes possible. This service restoration includes service along three lines: Northeast Corridor service between Trenton Transit Center and Newark Penn Station, North Jersey Coast Line service between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station, and Raritan Valley Line service between Raritan and Newark Penn Station. A special schedule will be posted on njtransit.com by 7:00 p.m. this evening.
“As the backbone of the NJ TRANSIT rail system, the restoration of Northeast Corridor service is a significant step in providing a level of service to NJ TRANSIT’s customers,” said Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman James Simpson. “Our work is far from done, as we still face a number of operational challenges, but we will continue working tirelessly to further restore service where we can safely do so.”
Service to Penn Station New York will resume following Amtrak’s restoration of the Hudson River Tunnels and it’s signal system is complete.On Thursday, November 1, NJ TRANSIT restored the majority of bus service throughout the state, operating full service on 68 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 18 bus routes in southern New Jersey, and restoring partial service on 58 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 17 routes in southern New Jersey. Also on Thursday, River Line service was restored between the Trenton Transit Center and the Entertainment Center in Camden, operating on a Sunday schedule. Limited Access Link paratransit service resumed operation as well.
NJ TRANSIT is advising customers of the following:
Rail Service:
Northeast Corridor: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Trenton Transit Center and Newark Penn Station, operating on a special schedule.
North Jersey Coast Line: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Woodbridge and Newark Penn Station, operating on a special schedule. Rail service between Bay Head and Woodbridge remains suspended. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
Morgan Drawbridge in South Amboy sustained damage from boats and a trailer that collided into the bridge.
There are wires and trees down, as well as rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks), between South Amboy and Bay Head.
Raritan Valley Line: On Friday, November 2, service will resume between Raritan and Newark Penn Station only, operating on a special schedule. Rail service between High Bridge and Raritan remains suspended.
Morris & Essex, Montclair-Boonton, Main/Bergen and Atlantic City Rail lines: Service remains suspended. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
There is major damage due to downed trees between Summit and Millburn, as well as in Denville and Morristown. There is also overhead wire damage, including signal wires, with support poles down in Lyons and Bernardsville. In addition, rail washouts (no ballast under the tracks) occurred at Kearny Junction, where Midtown Direct service connects to the Northeast Corridor. Rail washouts also occurred at several tracks in Hoboken Terminal and at Netcong Station.
Elsewhere on the rail system, local power outages have prevented NJ TRANSIT rail operations from being able to further test crossing gates and operating signals. In addition, hundreds of downed trees have fallen across the rail system, which have caused damage to overhead wires and signal wires. Several rail stations have sustained flood damage, including Hoboken Terminal.
Bus Service:
Bus service is operating on 68 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 18 bus routes in southern New Jersey, providing service over the entire routes with no detours or truncations. For a complete list, visit njtransit.com.
Partial service is operating on 58 bus routes in northern New Jersey and 17 routes in southern New Jersey, with detours or truncations due to ongoing impacts from Hurricane Sandy. For details, visit njtransit.com
Bus service on routes not listed remains suspended until further notice. Power outages in local communities have resulted in the loss of traffic control devices critical to safe operation in some areas. Downed tree limbs and power lines continue to make many roads impassable. Personnel are in the field reviewing and assessing these conditions in order to ensure that service is restored as soon as it becomes safe to do so.
Light Rail Service:
River Line is operating on a Sunday schedule between Trenton Transit Center and the Entertainment Center in Camden.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail and Newark Light Rail service will remain suspended until further notice. There is currently no estimated time for resumption of service. An assessment of rail infrastructure has revealed significant damage across the system, including:
Newark Light Rail sustained flooding in Newark Penn Station, as well as major debris damage between Newark Penn and Branch Brook Park stations.
Hudson-Bergen Light Rail experienced track washouts at Port Imperial and West Side Avenue stations, as well as trees in the overhead wire in Weehawken and flooding in Hoboken.
Access Link:
Access Link service is operating in the following regions:
Region 2, which includes Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem counties.
Region 3, which includes Atlantic, Cape May and Southern Ocean County.
Sources, emails point to communication breakdown in Obama administration during Libya attack
By Jennifer Griffin
Published November 02, 2012
FoxNews.com
Senior counterterrorism officials felt cut out of the loop the night of the attack on the Benghazi consulate, according to emails that were shared with Fox News by military sources who are familiar with discussions of how to respond the night of the Sept. 11 attack.
Top State Department officials decided not to send an interagency rapid response unit designed to respond to terrorist attacks known as a FEST team, a Foreign Emergency Support Team. This team from the State Department and CIA has a military Joint Special Operations Command element to it and has been routinely deployed to assist in investigations — for instance, after the USS Cole bombing and the bombings at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.
PSE&G : 10 Days till full Restoration ,but Majority of Customers will be Restored before then
Our best forecast as of now is that we will have virtually all of our impacted customers restored to service within the next seven to 10 days. THE MAJORITY OF CUSTOMERS WILL BE RESTORED BEFORE THEN. There may still be isolated pockets of customers who have individual flooding or downed line issues that may take slightly longer.
OUTAGE UPDATE: At this time approximately 1 million PSE&G customers have had their power restored following Hurricane Sandy. About 716,000 customers are currently without power. The storm impacted 1.7 million of PSE&G’s 2.2 million electric customers.
Our crews work to restore power to the largest numbers of customers first, taking into account “priority customers” such as hospitals, police and fire stations, water and sewer facilities, communications facilities (TV, radio and telephone), and customers on life-sustaining medical equipment (See graphic illustration below). If someone in your family relies on life-sustaining medical equipment, it is important to let the utility know as soon as the equipment is installed. We then focus on restoring power to homes and businesses, starting with the circuits with the largest numbers of customers.
Hurricane Sandy Information REGIONAL SHELTER OPERATION
At 12:00 PM today (October 29, 2012) a regional shelter will be opened at Bergen Community College (400 Paramus Road, Paramus). The shelter can accommodate special needs and is domestic pet-friendly.
Please remember to bring any clothes, medications for yourself and/or family members.
If you are bringing your pet please bring a carrier case or crate, leash, pet food, any medications, a water bowl, and waste bags.
WEATHER ALERT : Secure all Halloween Decorations and Garden Gnomes
October 29,212
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Police announce due to the potential severe impact of the impending storm you are hereby advised that solid waste and recycling services will be suspended on Monday, Tuesday and Wednseday of this week.
The recycling center will be open to residents should you need to dispose of solid waste or recyclables that cannot be held. The normal pick up schedule will resume on Thursday.
Please remember that in no case will branches be allowed to be placed in the street. It is also requested that you withhold any reports of property damage normally made to law enforcement staff until after the storm has passed. Please continue to check the Village website for further updates.
The Ridgewood police also remind everyone to secure outdoor furniture and other loose objects .
Alice Gainer from News 12 New Jersey , reminds us , “This may seem obvious….but I’ve still seen em out…bring in your Halloween decorations…. or any lawn decorations for that matter…you know those garden gnomes or whatever people are into. Last thing anyone needs is to be knocked unconscious by a flying gnome while out in a storm. (Also- don’t go out in the storm) “
Christie Administration Begins Preparations For Possible NJ TRANSIT System Shutdown
TRENTON, NJ –The Christie Administration has announced that preparations have officially begun for the potential shutdown of NJ TRANSIT bus, rail, light rail and Access Link service, effective Monday, October 29. This preliminary step is being implemented as the statewide transportation agency continues preparations for Hurricane Sandy.
“The safety of our customers, employees and the public-at-large is paramount,” said NJ TRANSIT Board Chairman and New Jersey Department of Transportation Commissioner James Simpson. “By beginning this important process, NJ TRANSIT will be better able to support the state’s response to Hurricane Sandy by freeing up buses or other resources that may be needed for hurricane relief.”
During Hurricane Irene, NJ TRANSIT implemented a full-scale system shutdown spanning nearly 36 hours. This decision is credited with saving billions in NJ TRANSIT assets, which enabled NJ TRANSIT to restart service with all equipment available for use. Additionally, no customer or employee injuries were reported during this time.
The systematic shutdown of NJ TRANSIT service will require a minimum of 12 hours to complete. The process requires the relocation and securing of buses, rail equipment and other NJ TRANSIT assets away from flood-prone areas. It also requires complete coordination with state and local officials throughout the process.
It is important to specifically note that this step is being taken solely as a precautionary measure. No final decisions have been made regarding any potential future service suspension.
Earlier today, Governor Christie announced system-wide cross-honoring of all rail, bus and light rail tickets starting Monday, 12:00 a.m. and continuing through Wednesday, 6 a.m. This important step will allow customers holding NJ TRANSIT tickets to use alternate means of transportation to get to their final destination, such as PATH, PATCO and private bus carriers. Due to the duration of the storm and the potential impact to the NJ TRANSIT system, this timeframe could be extended if necessary.
NJ TRANSIT PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE SANDY
Rail and Light Rail Operations
NJ TRANSIT’s maintenance forces continue inspecting culverts, drainage pipes and rights-of-way to ensure they are clear of blockages that could exacerbate flooding and disrupt service.
NJ TRANSIT rail and light rail crews and equipment are on standby to respond to downed trees, wires and flooding.
Bus and Access Link Operations
NJ TRANSIT Bus and Access Link maintenance and support staff will be on standby 24/7 to respond where needed.
Customer Service
Customer Service Field Offices will extend their hours of operations if necessary.
The Transit Information Office (TIC) – NJ TRANSIT’s call center, is also prepared to extend its hours if necessary.
TRAVEL ADVICE
For the latest travel information, customers should listen to broadcast traffic reports, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJ_TRANSIT prior to starting your trip.
In the event of service delays or adjustments, including the suspension of service, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, floors and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or to NJ TRANSIT staff.
NJ TRANSIT CONTINUES PREPARATIONS FOR HURRICANE SANDY
As Hurricane Sandy moves into the region, NJ TRANSIT is closely monitoring Hurricane Sandy’s movements along the Atlantic Coast and preparing the system to minimize service suspensions and delays as much as possible. Current reports estimate Hurricane Sandy beginning to affect New Jersey late Sunday evening with the storm intensifying Monday into Tuesday.
NJ TRANSIT crews are currently preparing rail, bus and light rail infrastructure for the storm and additional crew and equipment will be on standby to respond to downed trees, wires and flooding when the storm hits. Additionally, NJ TRANSIT is coordinating with state, county and local OEMs (Offices of Emergency Management) to keep them updated on service status, outages and restoration efforts.
Storm forecasts indicate Hurricane Sandy has the potential to impact transit services. It may be necessary for NJ TRANSIT to modify service as conditions change. While every effort will be made to continue operating rail, bus, light rail and Access Link services throughout the state, customers may experience delays, detours or cancellations on their routes due to significant rainfall expected in some areas.
Customers are advised to plan accordingly and anticipate disruptions to service. NJ TRANSIT advises customers:
For the latest travel information, visit njtransit.com or access our Twitter feed at @NJ_TRANSIT prior to starting your trip. In the event of delays or service adjustments, NJ TRANSIT will provide the most current service information via the My Transit alert system, which delivers travel advisories for your specific trip to your cell phone, PDA or pager. (If you are not yet a My Transit subscriber, we encourage you to sign up at www.njtransit.com/mytransit) Service information is also available by calling (973) 275-5555 or from broadcast traffic reports.
Listen closely to public address announcements at stations for late-breaking service information.
Build additional travel time into your trip to a station, terminal or bus stop.
Stairs, flooring and platforms can be slippery, so please use caution when walking along wet surfaces or any outdoor surface exposed to the weather. Use extra care when boarding or exiting buses and trains.
Report slippery or unsafe conditions to bus operators, train crews or NJ TRANSIT staff.
NJ TRANSIT Customer Service Field Offices will extend their hours of operation if necessary. The Transit Information Offices, NJ TRANSIT’s call center, is also prepared to extend its hours if necessary. Customers in need of service information can call (973) 275-5555.
Ridgewood putting preparations in place in anticipation of storm
FRIDAY OCTOBER 26, 2012, 2:15 PM
BY DARIUS AMOS
STAFF WRITER
THE RIDGEWOOD NEWS
Ridgewood emergency officials have increased their preparation efforts in anticipation of a potential three-headed super storm that has been predicted to hit the area early next week.
Bergen County could see extreme weather conditions, including three to six inches of rain and winds reaching speeds up to 70 miles per hour, should Hurricane Sandy collide with a winter storm from the West and an Arctic front from the North, meteorologists predict. Already dubbed “Frankenstorm,” the storm is expected to arrive in the area beginning Monday.
According to Jeremy Kleiman, coordinator of Ridgewood’s Office of Emergency Management, emergency preparation in the village started earlier this week, and all department heads met and discussed plans Friday morning.
“We reviewed our pre-storm checklist and have a plan to continue preparations through the weekend,” Kleiman told The Ridgewood News.
PSE&G Ramps Up Preparations for Hurricane Sandy
October 26, 2012
Provides safety tips for customers
(October 26, 2012 – Newark, NJ) – Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G) Company, New Jersey’s largest electric and gas utility, is continuing to closely monitoring the track of Hurricane Sandy and is ramping up emergency preparations. Although the storm is now tracking further south, it is still expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and flooding to our service territory. At this time, Hurricane Sandy is expected to begin impacting New Jersey as early as late Sunday with the full brunt of the storm hitting the area Monday into Tuesday.
In anticipation of Hurricane Sandy, PSE&G has requested more than 1,300 linemen and 600 tree contractors from utilities in other states to assist our highly skilled crews. The utility’s call center will be fully staffed to handle calls from customers. Other employees will assist with assessing storm damage, keeping the public away from any downed power lines and other functions that support restoration efforts.
Since Hurricane Irene and the October snowstorm in 2011, PSE&G has made additional investments in our electric delivery system to help withstand storms.
• Replaced older 26,000-volt lines with lines capable of carrying 69,000 volts. These lines provide greater protection against lightning strikes and can better withstand wind and rain.
• Spent about $28 million pruning trees away from power lines.
• Tightened coordination with county Offices of Emergency Management to ensure that public officials have the latest information on outages and restoration progress.
• Compiled a list of school administrators and superintendents to contact in case schools are affected by outages.
• Made some improvements to our automated call answering systems.
Just as the utility is preparing for Hurricane Sandy, we urge our customers to do the same. It’s wise to have an emergency kit on hand year round. Here are some things to include:
• A battery powered radio.
• A corded telephone (cordless phones will not work if the power is out)
• Flashlights and extra fresh batteries.
• A first-aid kit.
• Bottled water and an adequate supply of non-perishable food.
• A non-electric can opener.
• Extra blankets and sleeping bags.
• A list of emergency phone numbers, including PSE&G’s Customer Service line: 1-800-436-PSEG.
A storm like Hurricane Sandy has the potential to interrupt service. High winds might cause trees to brush up against power lines, and lightning could strike and damage trees or pole-top equipment. There also is the potential for trees to be uprooted.
Depending on the severity of the storm, response times for both electric and gas emergency services may be longer than usual. PSE&G asks for our customers’ patience and cooperation as we work to safely restore service as quickly as possible. As the storm gets closer, the utility will provide information about estimated restoration times.
To report downed wires or power outages, customers should call PSE&G’s Customer Service line at 1-800-436-PSEG. PSE&G uses an automated system to handle customer calls as efficiently as possible. Customers who get an automated response when calling PSE&G are encouraged to use it, as it is designed to route their calls to the right destination quickly. The system also provides the option to speak directly to a customer service representative. If you have specific information regarding damage to wires, transformers or poles, we ask that you speak with a representative to provide that information.
Customers with a handheld device, or who are at an alternate location with power, can also report power outages and view the status of their outage by logging in to My Account at pseg.com. General outage activity throughout our service territory is available online at www.pseg.com/outagecenter and updates are posted on pseg.com during severe weather.
In addition, PSE&G will activate its Twitter page to keep the public informed about our restoration progress. Sign up as a follower at https://twitter.com/psegdelivers to monitor restoration progress.
Voter Registration: League of Women Voters of Ridgewood Waring voters against email scam
October 13.2012
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ , With the deadline to register to vote of October 16th just days away, the League of Women Voters of Ridgewood is warning the public about an email scam targeting individuals.
In the scam the individual receives an email stating that the recipient has not voted in four years and are no longer registered to vote.
If eligible individuals are unsure if they are registered, check out the NJ Division of Election’s website, nj.gov/state/elections/voting-information.html or the League of Women Voters of New Jersey’s website, lwvnj.org. Voter registration forms can be downloaded from those websites.
The deadline to register is Tuesday, Oct. 16, according to the New Jersey Department of State.
You must re-register if you have changed your name or address or upon completion of a jail sentence, parole or probation because of a felony conviction.
A poll worker is permitted to request identification if the voter did not do so on the original registration form or if the id was designated on the form but not verified.
