“New Jersey’s shore-based tourism equates to a $45 billion a year industry, one of our largest and most important. Instead of opening up our state to a potential disaster the President should be focusing on increasing our portfolio of renewable energy sources to green our environment and our economy,” said Colin Bell, a former Atlantic County Freeholder, and candidate for State Senate. “New Jersey has the capability to be a national leader in offshore wind energy, yet we continue to lag behind due to the stubbornness of Governor Christie. Now is the time to refocus our efforts on pushing offshore wind and solar.”

“Drilling in the Atlantic Ocean would put New Jersey’s beaches in considerable jeopardy. All it takes is one oil spill to devastate New Jersey’s coastal environment for generations to come,” said Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo. “I stand today opposed to President Trump’s plan, just like I did when President Obama proposed the same, to say that drilling off the shores of New Jersey is unacceptable and wrong.”

Assemblyman Mazzeo has already expressed staunch opposition to the Trump plan in the Legislature, sponsoring Assembly Concurrent Resolution 238 back in May, which urges President Trump to a rescind executive order authorizing offshore oil and natural gas drilling. ACR-238 was approved by the Assembly Environment Committee back in June.

Buena Vista Township Committeeman John Armato, a candidate for State Assembly, said, “New Jersey’s fishing industry already fought the federal government once this year by opposing the ridiculous summer flounder study that would have cannibalized our state’s commercial and recreational fishing industries. Now, they’re under attack again. Our $8 billion a year commercial fishing industry supports 50,000 good jobs here in New Jersey, and we can’t threaten that by exposing our aquaculture to dangerous drilling equipment and the potential for oil spills.”

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