Your Voice Needed to Stop Offshore Drilling in NJ!
The Trump Administration is poised to open New Jersey’s waters (and all of the Atlantic Coast) to offshore drilling. The federal Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) is currently taking public comments about this idea. Leave a comment here and SAY NO TO OFFSHORE DRILLING IN NEW JERSEY! Deadline to comment is August 17th, 2017.
Your talking points:
- Share personal stories about how your family is connected to the Jersey Shore–via your residence, frequent visits, employment in the tourist or fishing industries, etc.
- You oppose the seismic testing that is necessary for offshore drilling — seismic testing can destroy marine wildlife, which could threaten New Jersey’s fishing industry.
- We know how dangerous offshore drilling disasters can be after the Deepwater Horizon tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico. Share how your family would be affected if New Jersey’s beaches were covered in oil and other poisonous chemicals after a spill.
- New Jerseyans do not want offshore drilling in their state. Keep offshore drilling away from New Jersey and the Atlantic!
New Jersey’s members of Congress are united against the idea of opening New Jersey’s waters to offshore drilling. Now it’s time for New Jersey residents to add their voices to the opposition. Why should you care about this?
- We don’t want another Deepwater Horizon disaster to happen on our beaches.
- Oil spills poison the water and the beaches — and that leads to huge losses for the tourism and fishing industries, not to mention tragic loss of fish, birds and other wildlife.
- Even if there is no spill, offshore drilling in New Jersey would require seismic testing, which can injure and kill fish, dolphins and whales — and lead to losses in the fishing industry.
- The New Jersey shore is a huge part of our state’s economy — around 500,000 jobs in the coastal tourism industry, $16.6 billion in wages, and $5.5 billion in tax revenues. We can’t risk people’s jobs or the state budget just for oil company profits!
Write your public comment here to the Bureau of Energy Management and tell them NO OFFSHORE DRILLING IN NEW JERSEY OR THE ATLANTIC! Deadline to comment is August 17th, 2017.
Tips for writing public comments:
- Personalized comments are much more effective than form letters.
- Be respectful.
- Describe why the issue is relevant for you and how it will affect you.
- Include any useful evidence for your arguments, either in your comment, or as an attached document. If you have expertise and data on the issue, share it!
- Mention specific sections of the proposed rule if you have the time and expertise. But don’t worry about writing the perfect essay in your comment–the main thing is to submit one!
Want to do more? You can help support 2 bills that our New Jersey reps have introduced.
- Sen. Booker, Sen. Menendez and Rep. Pallone have introduced legislation that would make the mid-Atlantic to Florida coast off-limits to offshore drilling, the COAST Anti-Drilling Act (S999/HR2272). Some of New Jersey’s House representatives have not signed on to co-sponsor yet. Contact and them and tell to be a co-sponsor!
- Frank LoBiondo (R-2), 202-225-6572
- Tom MacArthur (R-3), 202-225-4765
- Chris Smith (R-4), 202-225-3765
- Josh Gottheimer (D-5), 202-225-4465
- Leonard Lance (R-7), 202-225-5361
- Donald Payne Jr. (D-10), 202-225-3436
- Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-11), 202-225-5034
- Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12), 202-225-5801
- Rep. LoBiondo has introduced a bill (HR728) that would prohibit offshore drilling off the coast of New Jersey. Most of New Jersey’s House representatives have not signed on to co-sponsor yet. Contact and them and tell to be a co-sponsor!
- Donald Norcross (D-1), 202-225-6501
- Tom MacArthur (R-3), 202-225-4765
- Josh Gottheimer (D-5), 202-225-4465
- Frank Pallone (D-6), 202-225-4671
- Albio Sires (D-8), 202-225-7919
- Bill Pascrell (D-9), 202-225-5751
- Donald Payne Jr. (D-10), 202-225-3436
- Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12), 202-225-5801
- These bills are stuck in committee. Call the House Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources and urge them to move forward with bill HR2272 and HR728. Chair: Paul Gosar (R-AZ), 202-225-2315, and Ranking Member Alan Lowenthal (D-CA), 202-225-7924. Call the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and urge them to move forward on S999. Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AZ), 202-224-6665, and Ranking Member Maria Cantwell (D-WA), 202-224-3441.