Contact: Jeff Tittel, 609-558-9100

Senators Booker and Menendez Help Block Seismic Testing Off Our Coast

Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez have helped introduce legislation to ban seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean. This bill would ban oil, gas and methane hydrate-related seismic activities and prohibit the use of seismic airgun blasting — a disruptive and potentially economically damaging method of surveying offshore oil and gas reserves — in the North Atlantic, Mid Atlantic, South Atlantic, and Straits of Florida. This legislation is important because only a few weeks ago did the Department of the Interior announce it will move forward to resume its evaluation of applications from six companies seeking permits to conduct geological and geophysical (G&G) activities in the Atlantic Ocean. While President Obama made efforts to protect our oceans, the Trump Administration is pushing forward with seismic testing and ultimately, offshore drilling. Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club released the following statement:

“We want to thank Senator Booker and Senator Menendez for standing up to the Trump Administration’s plans for seismic testing along our coast that could lead to offshore drilling. We need this legislation to ban seismic testing and block President Trump’s fossil foolishness. We must continue to protect our coasts by stopping dangerous oil drilling and seismic testing. Trump’s plans for seismic testing along our coast is not only dangerous on its own, but it will lead to offshore drilling that could threaten our coasts even more. Seismic testing not only harasses the animals but cause severe damage and can even lead to mass strandings and possibly death. Drilling for oil poisons our oceans and threatens our entire economy from fishing to tourism. We should be focusing on promoting safe and renewable energy like wind power and not opening up the Atlantic to testing for offshore drilling.”
“The Trump Administration is clearly siding with Big Oil and Gas over the people and environment of the country and we need to come out against these dangerous plans. Trump’s actions will seriously threaten our $38 billion coastal economy, destroy our ecosystem and fisheries, while harming people who live along the coast. Drilling anywhere in the Mid-Atlantic would directly put our coasts at risk. Even a spill off of Virginia would find its way to our shores. One quart of oil pollutes a million gallons of water. This is really shortsighted because of the potential for a little bit of oil could jeopardize our coast, our multi-billion-dollar fishing industry, and our tourism industry. What is even worse is that the oil and gas being drilled for could be shipped to Europe or Asian. That means the only oil we will see is the oil that will wash up on our beaches from a spill.”

“Donald Trump is working to undo all the protections of the Atlantic Ocean put in place by the Obama Administration so we are glad our Senators are coming out against him. Offshore drilling will lead to increased climate impacts, while polluting our air and waterways. What is even worse is that the oil and gas being drilled for could be shipped to Europe or Asian. That means the only oil we will see is the oil that will wash up on our beaches from a spill. The oil would be taken to refineries in our area, further putting us at risk.”

“It is important our Senators are standing up against Trump’s attacks on our coast, tourism, and ecosystems. Now we need members in Congress to do the same and introduce this legislation in Congress. We need to stand up to continue to protect our coasts because one quart of oil pollutes a million gallons of water so this is a serious threat. We have a choice between windmills off our coasts and oil rigs. We choose wind!”