Atlantic Coastal Economies Protection Act

Mr. Speaker, I rise today because I am profoundly concerned with the possible permitting of seismic airgun blasting off the Atlantic Coast, from Jacksonville, Florida, to Cape May, New Jersey, to Portland, Maine. This is an extremely serious issue.

Late last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, also known as NOAA, issued five Incidental Harassment Authorizations which advanced permit applications for seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean. This action essentially sets the stage for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to approve these permits at any day now.

Seismic airgun blasting is not only the first step toward offshore oil and gas exploration and development, but it is harmful to marine mammal life and to marine life in general, and it encroaches on vital military operations.

At a time when we are attempting to limit the dangers of climate change, such as extreme weather events like Superstorm Sandy, it is unthinkable to further harm the environment and endanger our coastal economy in South Jersey and along the coast, which is largely based on fishing and based on tourism.

Our public policy goal is to create a cleaner and healthier environment, an environment that we can pass on to our children and on to our grandchildren so that they may enjoy it.

I am proud that broad arrays of organizations in New Jersey have supported my legislation. These organizations include the Chambers of Commerce of Cape May County, Ocean City, Vineland, Greater Wildwood, Greater Atlantic City, the Garden State Seafood Association, the Recreational Fishing Alliance, the Jersey Shore Partnership, Clean Ocean Action, Surfers Environmental Alliance, the American Littoral Society, Oceana, and the New Jersey chapters of the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters, Audubon Society, and Environment America.

Mr. Speaker, it was a pleasure to have worked with Congressman Rutherford of Florida on H.R. 1149. I am also grateful that several of our elite colleagues joined us on important efforts, including Joe Cunningham of South Carolina, Chris Smith of New Jersey, Donna Shalala of Florida, and Brian Mast of Florida, as well.

Our bipartisan bill, the Atlantic Coastal Economies Protection Act, would prevent the five seismic airgun blasting permits that are now under consideration from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from being issued. It would stop them.

I urge my colleagues to protect our precious coastline and to protect the livelihoods of those that depend upon it by supporting H.R. 1149. It is a bipartisan bill. It is the Atlantic Coastal Economies Protection Act.

Mr. Speaker, I include three letters of support for the Record.

[From the Greater Atlantic City Chamber]

Resolution Opposing BOEM 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas

Leasing Program

Whereas, on January 8, 2018, the federal Bureau of Ocean

Energy Management (BOEM) announced in the Federal Register

notice the release of their Draft Proposed Program (DPP) for

the 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing

Program. BOEM is requesting public comment on the

DPP as well as formal scoping for a Programmatic

Environmental Impact Statement for the 2019-2024 Program; and

Whereas, this new plan includes the entire Atlantic Ocean

from Maine to Florida, including the waters off New Jersey

within 3 miles of beaches, as well as including other ocean

areas totaling some 90% of US ocean waters; and

Whereas, New Jersey boasts over 127 miles of beautiful

ocean coastline and hundreds of miles of back-bays,

estuaries, and other waterways connected to the Atlantic

Ocean; and

Whereas, the Jersey Shore is essential to the health of the

our communities, environment and the thriving economy of New

Jersey; and

Whereas, the physical, hydrodynamic, and biological

characteristics of the ocean off the Jersey Shore are unique

in the world, as more than 300 species of fish, nearly 350

species of birds, 5 species of sea turtles, and many marine

mammals such as 20 species of whales and dolphins, 1 species

of porpoise, and 4 species of seals, frequent this region.

Nine endangered species, four of which are whales, can be

found in these ocean waters, including the Atlantic Right

Whale, one of the world's most endangered marine mammals. The

region also serves as an essential migratory pathway for many

of these species; and

Whereas, the Jersey Shore sustains the economy of the

region with its bounty of natural resources and intrinsic

values for millions of people through tourism. Tourism brings

more than $44 billion to NJ's economy each year and provides

jobs to more than 500,000 people with $6.2 billion generated

in Cape May County alone; and

Whereas, recreational and commercial fisheries in NJ

provide enormous economic benefits, including revenue, food

production, and recreational activities with the port of Cape

May and Wildwood ranking as the second largest seaport on the

east coast. In 2014, recreational fishing supported nearly

20,000 jobs and resulted in $2 billion of retail sales.

Commercial fishing supports nearly 7,300 jobs and provides

$152 million in landings, not including restaurant and retail

sales; and

Whereas, current estimates of the amount of technically

recoverable oil off the entire Atlantic coast from Maine to

Florida would only last the nation approximately 229 days,

and the amount of technically recoverable gas would only last

approximately 562 days; and

Whereas, offshore oil and gas development, causes

substantial environmental impacts, including: (a) onshore

damage due to infrastructure, (b) water pollution from

drilling muds and the water brought-up from a well with oil

and gas (called ``produced waters''), (c) noise from seismic

surveys, (d) air pollution, and (e) oil spills; and

Whereas, the harmful environmental consequences of offshore

oil and gas exploration and development are serious and

threatens the environmental and economic assets of New

Jersey; and

Whereas, The BP Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico

(2010) is clear evidence of the dangers associated with

offshore drilling, including costing the lives of 11 people,

devastating coastal economies and countless livelihoods, and

killing countless marine animals, as well as continuing to

cause harm to marine life as documented by a steady flow of

studies; and

Whereas, Federal Administration officials are also

weakening protections of ocean resources by undermining rules

and regulations, cutting funding sources for spill response;

and

Whereas, oil spills travel vast distances, and the Gulf

Stream and Labrador Ocean Current all flow toward New Jersey

making the region vulnerable to impacts from spills anywhere

in the Atlantic Ocean; and

Whereas, Within 5 days of the release of the DPP Governor

Scott from Florida was able to convince Department of

Interior Secretary Zinke to remove Florida from further

consideration for drilling due to the importance of coastal

tourism to that state and NJ shares this same economic

dependence on tourism and clean ocean economies;

Whereas, bi-partisan opposition against drilling off the

New Jersey coast has included every Governor since 1985, and

a majority of the congressional delegation and most coastal

towns; and

Whereas, in the January 8, 2018, BOEM Federal Register to

requests comments on the Draft Proposed Program (DPP) and

scoping comments for the Programmatic Environmental Impact

Study

Whereas, energy conservation and efficiency measures can

significantly reduce the nation's need to explore and drill

for nonrenewable resources, such as oil and natural gas; and

Whereas, coastal municipalities have a profound interest in

maintaining strong federal protections for our nation's

coastal environment, as well as the economic and social

benefits it supports;

Now, therefore, be it resolved on March 5, 2018, that the

Greater Atlantic City Chamber hereby opposes offshore oil and

gas exploration and drilling activities that would affect the

coast of New Jersey, and calls upon Secretary of the Interior

Ryan K. Zinke who oversees the Bureau of Ocean Energy

Management to withdraw New Jersey and the entire Atlantic

Ocean from consideration for the offshore oil and gas

exploration, development, or drilling.

Joseph D. Kelly,

President.