LATE BREAKING NEWS ON FY’07 FEDERAL HIGHWAY AND TRANSIT FUNDING
The House plans to take up its version of the year-long FY’07 Continuing Resolution on Wednesday. It appears it will include full funding for highway and transit programs in accordance with the SAFETEA-Lu (S-LU) guarantees. This is a big victory for the transportation industry which worked very hard to rally support to protect the S-LU funding. No word yet on whether the Senate version of the bill will also restore the funding, but last week 72 Senators signed a letter to the appropriators in support of the increased levels.

TRANS-HUDSON TUNNEL CLEARS MAJOR FEDERAL HURDLE
New Jersey Transit is scheduling public hearings in both New Jersey and New York on the long-proposed Trans-Hudson Rail Tunnel now that the Federal Transit Administration has given initial approval to the $7 billion project’s effects on the environment.

Release of the Statement is the next step in securing federal funding for the massive undertaking. After a federal decision, expected next year, New Jersey and New York would be able to begin negotiating how much cash the federal government would contribute. The Port Authority of New York & New Jersey already has committed up to $2 billion and New Jersey has pledged an additional $500 million. New Jersey hopes the federal government will pay half the cost.

The tunnel has generated strong bi-state and bipartisan support, including New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, New York Governor Eliot Spitzer, U.S. Senators Frank Lautenberg and Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Charles Schumer and Hillary Clinton of New York and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

COMMITTEES SET FOR NEW JERSEY HOUSE DELEGATION
Committee assignments have been announced for members of the New Jersey delegation for the House of Representatives in the new Congress.
APPROPRIATIONS --- Rodney P. Frelinghuysen, R-11th District, and Steven R. Rothman, D-9th District
ARMED SERVICES --- Robert Andrews, D-1st District, Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd District, and James Saxton, R-3rd District.
BUDGET --- Andrews and Scott Garrett, R-5th District.
EDUCATION AND LABOR --- Andrews, Rush D. Holt, D-12th District, and Donald M. Payne, D-10th District.
ENERGY AND COMMERCE --- Frank Pallone, Jr., D-6th District and Michael Ferguson, R-7th District.
FINANCIAL SERVICES --- Albio Sires, D-13th District, and Garrett.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS --- Payne, Sires and Christopher Smith, R-4th District.
NATURAL RESOURCES --- Pallone, Holt and Saxton.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY --- Rothman.
TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE --- LoBiondo.
WAYS AND MEANS --- William J. Pascrell, Jr., D-8th District.

MEADOWLANDS COMMISSION OUTLINES ECONOMIC GROWTH STRATEGY
An aggressive agenda to foster economic growth for the next 12 months has been outlined by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission. The Meadowlands District covers an area of 32 square miles.

Commission Chairwoman Susan Bass Levin, who also heads the State Department of Community Affairs, said: “This region is expecting to see a 70 percent increase in jobs over the next 15 years and billions of dollars of annual wealth as a result. The region must be proactive in shaping its own economic destiny.”

The report gives five recommendations to promote economic growth in the Meadowlands:
-Coordinate and unify the region’s message for economic growth.
-Develop and prepare the workforce for a growing number of jobs.
-Maintain, develop and upgrade the region’s infrastructure.
-Target specific sectors for economic growth.
-Increase overall efficiency within the Meadowlands District.

To implement those initiatives, the report recommends establishment of an Office of Economic Growth at the Meadowlands Commission.

COMMITTEE NAMED FOR NATIONAL SEARCH FOR NJ TRANSIT DIRECTOR
Former Governor Jim Florio has been appointed by Governor Jon Corzine to head a seven-member committee to conduct a national search for a new Executive Director of NJ Transit. The current NJ Transit Executive Director George Warrington has announced his resignation, effective March 31st. The other committee members are: -State Transportation Commissioner Kris Kolluri. -Anthony R. Coscia, Chairman, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. -Richard C. Leone, President of the Century Foundation. -Bernadette P. McPherson, Bergen County Freeholder and Mayor of Rutherford. -Martin E. Robins, Senior Fellow, Voorhees Transportation Center. -Bishop David G. Evans, Bethany Baptist Church, Lindenwold.

PORT AUTHORITY TO ACQUIRE STEWART AS FIFTH AIRPORT
Stewart International Airport in Orange County, New York will be acquired by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as a fifth airport. The Authority approved spending $78.5 million to buy out the remainder of a long-term private lease on Stewart.

The plan is to make Stewart an alternative commercial hub over the next decade for up to 5 million flyers who otherwise would use Newark Liberty International, John F. Kennedy International or LaGuardia Airports. The Authority’s fourth airport, Teterboro in Bergen County, NJ, handles mainly private flights.

Last year only slightly more than 300,000 travelers used Stewart, which is about 55 miles north of New York City near the intersection of the New York State Thruway and Interstate 84.

SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION PROGRAM FACES SHUTDOWN
Unless the Legislature authorizes new funding, New Jersey will have to start closing down its school construction program in May or June.

Scott Weiner, CEO of the State School Construction Corporation, told the agency’s trustees that it still has portions of its original $8.6 billion available, but the money will be needed to complete 34 school projects currently underway. The SCC is seeking authorization from the Legislature for another $3.25 billion for the program.

NEW JERSEY BUILDERS ASSOCIATION WINS JUDICIAL RULING
Superior Court Judge Theodore Bozonelia has ruled that the Highlands Council must fully release two documents to the New Jersey Builders Association that had partially blacked-out sections. The Judge said the Council’s reasons for holding back the information were unclear.

Judge Bozonelis also ruled that two incomplete Rutgers University think tank reports may temporarily be kept secret from the Builders Association as the Highlands Council deliberates over policy. However, Bozonelis stressed that those documents also will need to be available at a later date to enable public comment to be meaningful.

ALLIANCE ACTIVITIES
GLOUCESTER TO KICK OFF 2007 COUNTY ALLIANCE MEETINGS
The first meeting of 2007 of an Alliance for Action county chapter will be held on Friday, February 9, in Gloucester County. The meeting at Riverwinds Community Center, Thorofare, begins with registration at 8:15 a.m. and the meeting will follow at 9:00 a.m.

The speakers will include:
-John J. Matheussen, Chief Executive Officer of the Delaware River Port Authority and President of PATCO.
-Lisa Wesen-Morina, Director of the Gloucester County Department of Economic Development.
-Jay Jones, Deputy Executive Director of the South Jersey Port Corporation.

Co-chairs of the Gloucester Alliance for Action are State Senator Stephen M. Sweeney, Financial Secretary/Treasurer and Business Representative of Ironworkers Local Union No. 399, and Gloucester County Freeholder Joseph A. Brigandi, Jr.
To register Go Here..

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REPORTS ON ATLANTIC CITY AIRPORT IMPROVEMENTS
Expansion and improvements at Atlantic City Airport and other capital projects were reported to the Alliance for Action by Bart R. Mueller, the new Executive Director of the South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Mueller spoke at the Alliance’s continuing series of “Meet the Players” program on January 26. He said an $8 million Security Enhancement project is under way and construction will begin for a 1,400-vehicle parking garage at the airport. He said these improvements will help to serve the pubic as air carriers increase their routes to and from Atlantic City.

Other capital projects discussed by Mueller included a new Aviation Research and Technology Center and a Hotel Conference Center.

PEOPLE ON THE MOVE
-Javier Inclan has been appointed by Governor Corzine as director of the Office of Constituent Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs in the Governor’s office. Inclan will resign his current position as Hudson County Clerk to assume his new position.
-Raymond Pocino, VP & Eastern Regional Manager of the Laborers' International Union of North America (LIUNA) has been nominated by Governor Corzine for appointment to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority Board of Commissioners.

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