Stonefly
Conservation isn't a tag line...
<TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 100%; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt" cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent">Hydroelectric power project would net township $5M annually <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
<!-- BITSHeadlineEnd --></TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> <o></o>
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 187.5pt; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; mso-table-lspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-left: left" cellPadding=0 width=250 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>By SETH AUGENSTEIN newton herald jan. 1228, 2009
SPARTA -- Town officials are gushing about a $2 billion hydroelectric project at the Limecrest Quarry unveiled Tuesday night.
The council struck an agreement with Riverbank Power Corporation of Toronto, which would produce 1,000 megawatts of potentially-green energy that would supply a regional power grid in the Northeast during peak hours.
If finalized, the project would bring $5 million annually to the township, or about 25 percent of its current budget, through taxes and rent.
It also would create about 1,00 construction jobs for four years and an additional 50-75 permanent jobs once the site is operational in 2015.
Riverbank and Sparta also see it as something more -- a groundbreaking "green" energy project for the state.
"It might be one of the most-studied projects in the history of New Jersey," said John Douglas, the president and CEO of Riverbank.
Douglas' presentation gave a simple overview of a massive and complex project.
Riverbank Power would drill a 2,000-foot shaft deep into a scooped-out, second reservoir underneath the current aquifer. The manmade waterfall would turn four enormous turbines, generating electricity at the subterranean plant during peak day hours. At off-peak night hours, the water would be pumped back up to the reservoir using traditional power sources -- generating power and profit without disturbing the natural aquifer.
There still are major environmental tests, approvals and hurdles to be overcome, including the initial drilling to determine if the site is right for the construction. Township officials said much of the work had been discussed at preliminary stages with all levels of government so far, including the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Another hurdle is the current quarrying lease agreement with Limecrest Quarry Developers struck late last year. That lease followed several lawsuits over rightful ownership of the quarry.
The council and Town Attorney Tom Ryan conceded that more negotiations needed to be worked out between Limecrest, Riverbank and the township, but those negotiations were proceeding well.
In September, the township and Limecrest Quarry Developers struck a deal that would extend the company's lease an extra 20 years through 2037.
The deal also required the company to mine a certain amount of material annually, and increased the town's cut of the profits by an additional $200,000 annually.
It is unknown how the proposed Riverbank deal would affect that agreement.
"Right now, I think we're working quite well together," said Mayor Brian Brady.
Eugene Mulvihill, the co-owner of Limecrest, said the project was the wave of the future.
"This is 100 percent green," Mulvihill said. "We don't just talk the talk; we walk the walk."
Residents' concerns included drilling and disturbances during the night, but all said they were impressed with the vision of the project.
"This sounds like a wonderful idea . . . in this day and age, when we're so dependent on foreign oil," said Charlie Marcino.
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<!-- BITSHeadlineEnd --></TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 1"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"> <o></o>
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 2; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"><TABLE class=MsoNormalTable style="WIDTH: 187.5pt; mso-cellspacing: 1.5pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; mso-padding-alt: 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt 2.25pt; mso-table-lspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-rspace: 2.25pt; mso-table-anchor-vertical: paragraph; mso-table-anchor-horizontal: column; mso-table-left: left" cellPadding=0 width=250 align=left border=0><TBODY><TR style="mso-yfti-irow: 0; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>By SETH AUGENSTEIN newton herald jan. 1228, 2009
SPARTA -- Town officials are gushing about a $2 billion hydroelectric project at the Limecrest Quarry unveiled Tuesday night.
The council struck an agreement with Riverbank Power Corporation of Toronto, which would produce 1,000 megawatts of potentially-green energy that would supply a regional power grid in the Northeast during peak hours.
If finalized, the project would bring $5 million annually to the township, or about 25 percent of its current budget, through taxes and rent.
It also would create about 1,00 construction jobs for four years and an additional 50-75 permanent jobs once the site is operational in 2015.
Riverbank and Sparta also see it as something more -- a groundbreaking "green" energy project for the state.
"It might be one of the most-studied projects in the history of New Jersey," said John Douglas, the president and CEO of Riverbank.
Douglas' presentation gave a simple overview of a massive and complex project.
Riverbank Power would drill a 2,000-foot shaft deep into a scooped-out, second reservoir underneath the current aquifer. The manmade waterfall would turn four enormous turbines, generating electricity at the subterranean plant during peak day hours. At off-peak night hours, the water would be pumped back up to the reservoir using traditional power sources -- generating power and profit without disturbing the natural aquifer.
There still are major environmental tests, approvals and hurdles to be overcome, including the initial drilling to determine if the site is right for the construction. Township officials said much of the work had been discussed at preliminary stages with all levels of government so far, including the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Another hurdle is the current quarrying lease agreement with Limecrest Quarry Developers struck late last year. That lease followed several lawsuits over rightful ownership of the quarry.
The council and Town Attorney Tom Ryan conceded that more negotiations needed to be worked out between Limecrest, Riverbank and the township, but those negotiations were proceeding well.
In September, the township and Limecrest Quarry Developers struck a deal that would extend the company's lease an extra 20 years through 2037.
The deal also required the company to mine a certain amount of material annually, and increased the town's cut of the profits by an additional $200,000 annually.
It is unknown how the proposed Riverbank deal would affect that agreement.
"Right now, I think we're working quite well together," said Mayor Brian Brady.
Eugene Mulvihill, the co-owner of Limecrest, said the project was the wave of the future.
"This is 100 percent green," Mulvihill said. "We don't just talk the talk; we walk the walk."
Residents' concerns included drilling and disturbances during the night, but all said they were impressed with the vision of the project.
"This sounds like a wonderful idea . . . in this day and age, when we're so dependent on foreign oil," said Charlie Marcino.
</TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ece9d8; PADDING-RIGHT: 2.25pt; BORDER-TOP: #ece9d8; PADDING-LEFT: 2.25pt; PADDING-BOTTOM: 2.25pt; BORDER-LEFT: #ece9d8; PADDING-TOP: 2.25pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: #ece9d8; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>