CHRISTIE TRANSITION NEWS
Governor-elect Chris Christie has named the following individuals to key positions in his new administration, with some requiring State Senate confirmation.

Attorney General --- Paula Dow; Corrections Commissioner --- Gary Lanigan; Chairman of Council of Economic Advisors --- Bob Grady; Criminal Justice Director --- Stephen Taylor; Economic Development Authority Director --- Al Koeppe; Education Commissioner --- Bret Schundler; Commissioner of Environmental Protection --- Bob Martin; Executive Director of NJ Transit --- James Weinstein.

Governor’s Authorities Unit Director --- Deborah Gramiccioni; Governor’s Chief of Staff --- Richard Bagger; Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff --- Bill Stepien; Governor’s Chief Counsel --- Jeff Chiesa; Governor’s Deputy Counsel --- Kevin O’Dowd; Law Director --- Robert Hanna; Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness --- Charles B. McKenna; Secretary of State --- Lt. Governor-Elect Kim Guadagno. State Transportation Commissioner --- James Simpson; State Treasurer --- Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff

. Banking and Insurance Commissioner --- Tom Considine; Human Services Commissioner --- Jennifer Velez; Adjutant General --- Glen Rieth; Appointments Counsel --- Michele Brown; Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications --- Maria Comella; Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Planning --- Wayne Hasenbalg; Cabinet Secretary --- Lou Goetting; Director of Operations --- Rosemary Iannacone.

CALL FOR PUBLIC COMMENT ON SCUDDER FALLS BRIDGE REPLACEMENT PLAN
The public review and comment period, including two hearings and written statements, on the $310 million plan to replace the I-95 Scudder Falls Bridge will continue through February 4, 2010. Environmental Assessments on the project are being made available by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

Hearings will be held tomorrow (Tuesday, January 19) at Villa Victoria Academy in Ewing, from 7 to 9 p.m., and Wednesday, January 20, at the Sheraton Bucks County Hotel, Langhorne, PA, also from 7 to 9 p.m. Both hearings will be preceded by open houses at 5 p.m.

Written letters of comment should be submitted by e-mail until the February 4 deadline at ScudderfallsbridgeEAcomments@hntb.com or by conventional mail to Kevin Skeels, Senior Program Area Manager, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, 110 Wood And Grove Streets, Morrisville, PA 19067.

Copies of the Environmental Assessment report are available at two New Jersey sites, Ewing Township Municipal Clerk, and the Ewing Branch of the Mercer County Library.

The Commission announced its plan, citing public safety, traffic congestion relief, jobs and economic development. The Commission estimates bridge replacement could create as many as 3,000 jobs, $341 million in personal earning and $1,054 billion in overall economic activity. The Commission intends to use cashless tolling to finance the project because of the expected unavailability of state or federal funds.

PRESIDENT SIGNS FY 2010 TRANSPORTATION
APPROPRIATIONS BILL
President Obama signed into law an omnibus bill which includes appropriations for the U.S. Department of Transportation for FY 2010, a funding level about 10 percent higher than FY 2009.

The Measure includes:
-$41.1 billion for federal-aid highways, plus $650 million more from the General Fund.
-$10.7 billion for mass transit; $3.5 billion for airports and $2.9 billion for modernizing air traffic control.
-$2.5 billion for high-speed rail and intercity passenger rail; $1.6 billion for Amtrak; $873 million for highway safety, and $600 million for competitive grants to support significant transportation projects, especially investments in inland ports and freight rail.

The conference report on the bill was approved 221-202 in the House of Representatives and 57-35 in the Senate.

COOLING TOWERS DISPUTE THREATENS OYSTER CREEK
The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection issued a draft environmental permit to require construction of cooling towers at the Oyster Creek Generating Station. Exelon Generation, the plant’s owner, says it would be forced to close down the station if it has to bear the additional expense.

The cooling towers requirement is part of a DEP review of a water discharge permit for Oyster Creek, which provides electricity to about 600,000 households. The requirement for a closed-cycle cooling system with one or two cooling towers is strongly opposed by the New Jersey Energy Coalition which states: “At a time when we can least afford it, the closure of Oyster Creek would cripple our energy infrastructure, negatively affect the state economy and put 700 highly skilled employees out of work.”

PSE&G WILL BUILD SOLAR FARMS IN FOUR LOCATIONS
Public Service Electric & Gas will build four large solar farms at sites it owns in Edison, Hamilton, Linden and Trenton. The $50 million plan could generate enough electricity to power 1,300 homes.

J. Fletcher Creamer & Son of Hackensack will build the 2 megawatt solar farm in Edison, installing 85,000 panels on 5.7 acres. Work is scheduled to begin this spring.

TURNPIKE AND PARKWAY TO GET NEW MESSAGE SIGNS
Drivers on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway are going to get new message signs that give them a lot more information.

The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which operates both toll roads, announced it will replace 153 signs on the Turnpike and 36 on the Parkway with variable message signs. In addition, the Parkway will add 31 new signs, for a total of 67.

The capital project, will give motorists more real-time, detailed updates about road conditions --- from oil spills and crashes to congestion and closures to speed limits. Authority officials reported that the signs will be installed by 2014. It awarded a $25.6 million contract to build the new signs to Daktronics, Inc., of South Dakota.

ALLIANCE SPONSORS CONFERENCE ON HEALTH CARE CONSTRUCTION
The Alliance for Action will present insider details on “Health Care Capital Construction --- for Your Health and for the Economy’s Health.” On Wednesday, February 10, at the Trenton Marriott Conference Center.

The speakers will include:
Bob Franks, President of the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey
Bob Peake, Director of Facilities & Construction for Atlantic Health Systems
Mark D. Sparta, Vice President of Operations Hackensack University Medical Center
Gus Escher, Vice Chairman of the NJ Health Care Facilities Financing Authority

Additional speakers, as well as panelists discussing “What’s Driving Health Care Construction?” will be announced. The program will begin with registration at 8 a.m. and conclude at noon. To register Go Here.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
-Former Assembly Speaker Joseph Roberts (D-Camden) was nominated to the Board of Governors of Rutgers University by former Gov. Jon Corzine shortly before he left office.

-Assemblyman Donald Norcross (D-Camden) won a special election convention for State Senator in the fifth district on Saturday.  Norcross will succeed Dana Redd, who resigned on January 1 to become the Mayor of Camden.  Gilbert "Whip" Wilson, a Camden City Councilman, was the unanimous choice of Democrats to fill Norcross' Assembly seat.

-Robert Revelle, a member of the Alliance for Action Board of Directors, was promoted at Atlantic City Electric to Region Vice President. Also promoted were Susan Coan to State Relations Director and Lee Wasman to Senior Strategic Planning Manager.

-Paul R. Natoli of Joseph A. Natoli Construction Corporation was elected as President of the Building Contractors Association of New Jersey. Other officers elected were Robert Poloisano of Network Construction Company, Inc., as Vice President; James R. Prisco, Jr. of J.R. Prisco Inc. as Secretary, and Eric Jensen of Michael Riesz and Company as Treasurer.

UPCOMING MEETINGS
February 10, 2010 - Health Care Capital Construction --- for Your Health and for the Economy’s Health, to register Go Here.

February 26, 2010 – Hudson County Alliance for Action, to register Go Here.

March 19, 2010 – Burlington County Alliance for Action, details to be announced.

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