The dinner is expected to attract its usual sellout crowd of business, labor, government and academic leaders to what was described by the publication, NJ BIZ, as “One of New Jersey’s top networking events.”

The Eagle Award recipients are:

			Ben Torcivia, Sr., founder of Torcon, Inc., the Ellis S. Vieser Lifetime Achievement Award
			Ralph A. LaRossa, President & Chief Operating Officer of Public Service Electric & Gas, the Richard M. Hale Chairman’s Award
			Morris Rubino, President of the New Jersey Association of Ironworkers, the Sigurd Luccassen Labor Award.
			Frank McDonough, President of the New York Shipping Association, the President’s Award.
			Edward Cruz, Owner & CEO, E.E. Cruz & Co., Inc., the Dr. John L. Buzzi Engineering Excellence Award

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Governor Corzine, Authority and State Department of Transportation officials took part in the ceremony held in a maintenance yard overlooking the Turnpike. The Alliance for Action was represented by President Philip K. Beachem, Executive Vice President Gerald T. Keenan and Senior Vice President Clifford Heath. The Alliance was active in mobilizing public support for the widening --- a point noted by Turnpike Executive Director Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, who publicly thanked Beachem and Keenan during the ceremony.
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The reports by utility company executives highlighted a meeting on June 2, 2009 sponsored by the New Jersey Alliance for Action and entitled: “Turning on the Economy.” Alliance President Philip K. Beachem and moderator Richard S. Mroz, President, Salmon Ventures, both stressed utilities are sometimes overlooked on their importance to the state’s economy and ability to generate jobs creation. They also stressed that figures presented reflect accelerated investment projects urged by Governor Corzine and approved by the state Board of Public Utilities.

BPU President Jeanne Fox declared that the accelerated projects approved by the Board did not represent “make-work” projects but necessary utility investments that are ready to move ahead to create employment opportunities.

Among the major presentations were:

• Ralph LaRossa, President & Chief Operating Officer of Public Service Electric & Gas, who said his company will invest $6.7 billion in capital projects over the next five years, including over $1 billion in 2009.
• Dennis Bone, President of Verizon New Jersey, said that his company has installed FIOS systems in more then 320 New Jersey communities. He reported that Verizon has spent $500 million a year on the installations and will continue to make those investments at a somewhat reduced level.
• Jeff DuBois, Senior Vice President – Chief Operating Officer, South Jersey Gas, reported that the company will spend $103 million over the next two years in accelerated investments approved by the BPU.
• Donald Distante, Director of Engineering & Planning, United Water, told the 200 people in attendance that his company from 2010 to 2014 will invest in infrastructure projects, including $78 million for underground equipment, $83 million for treatment and facility upgrades and $18 million for water storage.
• Craig Lynch, Vice President-Energy Delivery, New Jersey Natural Gas, said his firm received BPU approval for 16 accelerated projects totaling $71 million.
• Donald Carter, Vice President & General Manager of Elizabethtown Gas, reported that his company will spend $42.5 million in 2009 for distribution and system improvements.
• Jason Gonzalez, Vice President – Governmental Affairs, New Jersey American Water, said his company has invested $630 million in capital improvements. He noted that the company’s continuing infrastructure needs were illustrated by the report of the US Environmental Protection Agency that New Jersey’s water utilities need to spend $3-$10 billion over 20 years.
• James W. Tarpey, Vice President-Operations, Rockland Electric, informed the audience of a number of capital improvements his company is making or will make to serve 70,000 customers in Northern New Jersey.

In recognition of his lifetime of public service, including his outstanding leadership and expansion of the Atlantic City Expressway and the Atlantic City International Airport, Mueller will receive the Alliance for Action Hall of Fame Award. In honor of his more than 20 year long record as an elected official and his outstanding contribution to Camden County and the South Jersey region, Freeholder Nash will be the recipient of the annual Walter Rand Award for public service, named for the late Camden County State Senator Walter Rand.

Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m. and the program at 9:00 a.m. at the Lafayette Yard Marriott Conference Center. The speakers will include President Jeanne Fox of the State Board of Public Utilities, which recently approved nearly $1 billion in utilities construction plans.

The speakers will represent the following utility companies: Public Service Electric & Gas, New Jersey Natural Gas, Atlantic City Electric, South Jersey Gas, Verizon New Jersey, New Jersey American Water, Jersey Central Power & Light and others to be announced.

That was the report given by Ed McBride, Chief of Staff for Governor Corzine and Co-Chair of the Governor’s special task force to review the distribution and award of federal stimulus dollars. He spoke before some 300 people at a special conference on the impacts to New Jersey of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act that was held on April 2, 2009 sponsored by the New Jersey Alliance for Action in Trenton. To read, story Go Here.

The Tonnelle Avenue underpass contract, which will be released for bids on Friday, will be the first location to go to construction in New Jersey. The underpass will be adjacent to where the $8.7 billion project goes underground, allowing the MTT's two new rail tracks to begin their descent under the Palisades Mountain. That contract is expected to be awarded, and construction to begin, this spring... Read

The release of the “Record of Decision” by the Federal Transportation Administration officially completes the project’s extensive environmental review process. The approval allows the state to seek and receive the federal funds necessary for permitting NJ TRANSIT to award contracts for various components of the $8.6 billion project.

Beachem acknowledged the strong leadership roles played by Governor Corzine, State Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts, Senators Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, all the members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation, Chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Anthony Coscia and Deputy Executive Director Susan Bass Levin, as well as the Executive Director and staff of NJ TRANSIT.

The Alliance for Action along with New York Building Congress lead by Richard Anderson has spear-headed a broad-based coalition of business, labor, environmentalists and transit advocates to support this project.

The new Mass Transit Tunnel will increase capacity by approximately 46 percent above the current levels, thereby ensuring that New Jersey commuters will have better and increased access to New York City.

In addition to two new side-by-side single-track tunnels, the project will create new station capacity in Manhattan designed specifically for commuter rail service with wider platforms and more escalators. The new tracks will provide direct access to NYC subway lines. PATH trains and existing Penn Station services.

The project will also create on-seat (direct) commutes to New York for NJ TRANSIT customers on seven commuter rail lines – Main/Bergen County, Port Jervis, Pascack Valley, Montclair-Boonton west of Montclair State University, Morris & Essex west of Dover, Raritan Valley, and North Jersey Coast south of Long Branch, as well as future rail expansion lines.