TrueNorth Midsummer Classic Edition

The Gateway Development Commission (GDC) signed a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) with the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for $6.88 billion in federal funding for the Hudson Tunnel Project (HTP).  GDC also closed on Railroad Rehabilitation and Improvement Financing (RRIF) loans from the Build America Bureau totaling $4.06 billion to fund the local share of the project. With these actions, GDC has secured the entire $16 billion commitment needed to complete the HTP.

This includes $12 billion in federal funding – the largest federal funding commitment to a rail transportation project in modern history.  These commitments go a long way to ensure the success of the most consequential infrastructure project in the United States.  Construction of the HTP started on both sides of the Hudson River in November 2023 and is expected to create 95,000 jobs and generate $19.6 billion in economic activity.

NorthStar CEO Joe Fiordaliso joined leaders and stakeholders from across the region recently in Manhattan to witness the signing of the FFGA.  Fiordaliso helped celebrate this achievement with GDC CEO Kris Kolluri, his senior team including two of his recently departed deputies Eric Daleo and Megan Strickland, and the many elected and public officials who helped deliver this funding.

The HTP has now officially passed the point of no return.  After years of false starts and challenges, construction is well underway and progress is being made each day.  The HTP will eliminate one of the biggest risks of failure on the Northeast Corridor by building two additional tracks and rehabilitating the existing North River Tunnel, resulting in four modern tracks between New York and New Jersey.

As Kolluri has said on many occasions, “We’re about to build a portal of opportunity — not just portals of concrete and rebar.”

Attentive Energy has submitted a proposed offshore wind project in response to New Jersey’s Fourth Solicitation.  Once selected by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), this transformative project will generate clean energy, launch economic development initiatives, and deliver benefits to communities across New Jersey.

New Jersey selected the Attentive Energy Two (AE2) project in early 2024 and in this new proposal, submitted last week, Attentive Energy proposes a consistent and holistic vision that will build off of the momentum and early successes of Attentive Energy Two.  This proposal reflects a statewide opportunity to continue investing in communities and organizations that will grow offshore wind across New Jersey.

Attentive has been successful to date - and we boldly predict will be successful  again - because it has worked diligently to develop and enhance relationships on the ground here in New Jersey.  Attentive has prioritized equity, economic growth, environmental justice, transparent communication, and local partnerships to bolster the development of a sustainable offshore wind industry in the State.

Attentive Energy is concurrently working to advance the AE2 project.  Awarded by the BPU in January, AE2 will provide over 1.3 GW of clean offshore wind energy that will power 650,000 New Jersey homes.  It will deliver up to $110 million in community investments, focused on sustainability, workforce development, labor, environmental justice, education, & more.  AE2 will marshal  at the NJ wind port and make investments in the local supply chain.  And the project will invest in leading research and conservation organizations as part of Attentive Energy's commitment to responsible development and environmental stewardship.

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has announced that his Chief of Staff, Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti, will depart her current position and transition to a new role as a senior advisor. Principal Deputy Chief of Staff Tim Hillmann will assume the role of Chief of Staff later this Summer.

In a statement announcing the moves, Murphy said, "Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti has done an outstanding job as my Chief of Staff over the past year. From negotiating a reauthorization of the Transportation Trust Fund to successfully enacting a Fiscal Year 2025 budget with our partners in the Legislature, Diane has brought a wealth of knowledge, experience, and expertise to our team. I’ve asked her to continue serving our Administration as a senior advisor to help troubleshoot some of our most pressing and challenging operational challenges – such as large-scale infrastructure projects and complex interdepartmental initiatives. I thank Diane for her service as Chief of Staff and look forward to her continuing to play a senior role on my team.”

Gutierrez-Scaccetti came to the role of Chief of Staff with over 40 years of experience in public service. She spent 21 years at the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, where she held numerous positions including Executive Director. She served for six years as Executive Director and CEO of the Florida Turnpike Enterprise where she managed a robust portfolio of assets and delivered a five-year capital program. She returned to New Jersey to join the Murphy Administration as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation where she transformed the Department, rebuilt its ranks, restored morale, and managed the largest ever capital program in New Jersey history. She is a consummate professional who believes that public service is a noble pursuit and has lived by that maxim throughout her career.

Tim Hillmann has served as the Governor’s Principal Deputy Chief of Staff since October 2023. Prior to his current role, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Government Affairs and as the Governor’s Director of Appointments since 2019. Before that, he spent nine years working in the United States Senate.