Bi-Partisan NJ
Elected Leaders, Hundreds of Concerned Citizens attend NJ Press Conference and Citizen Hearing on Offshore Oil and Gas
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| Hundreds of Citizens turned out for the 2:30pm Press Conference |
On Wednesday, February 14, 250 citizens representing NJ’s leading environmental, fishing, business, and public interest organizations, along with Jersey Shore advocates rallied and testified at a press conference and Citizen’s Hearing to reject President Trump’s offshore oil and gas plan which opens 90% of US ocean waters to within 3 miles of beaches. The event coincided with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Public Meeting held in an adjacent room. Citizens brought signs, cheered and packed the Advocacy Room.
Kicking off the press conference was a host of NJ state legislators who were amplified by Governor Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, US Senators Menendez and Booker, and US Representatives Pallone and Smith. State representatives also included Assembly Members Pinkin and Zwicken. This was the first time FaceTime connected leaders to a real time ocean action rally in NJ.
See below for Press Conference Highlights.
Press Conference can be watched here
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Senator Linda R. Greenstein, 14th Legislative District, Assistant Majority Leader
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| Assemblywoman Nancy J. Pinkin |
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| Assemblywoman JoAnn Downey |
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| Assemblyman Andrew Zwicker |
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| Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling |
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| NJ Governor Phil Murphy via Facetime |
Governor Phil Murphy, First Lady Tammy Murphy, Congressman Frank Pallone, Congressman Chris Smith, Senator Bob Menendez and Senator Cory Booker, who were unable to attend, joined the rally via Facetime.
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| NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy |
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| Congressman Frank Pallone |
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| Senator Bob Menendez & Senator Cory Booker |
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| Congressman Chris Smith |
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| Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action |
Immediately following the Press conference the crowd swarmed the BOEM Public Meeting en masse before returning to the Advocacy Room for the citizen hearing. Over 70 citizens signed up to speak for three minutes to share important testimony on the issue, which was recorded by the professional transcriber. Clean Ocean Action has since submitted
the transcript to BOEM for the record.
Here are some highlights: Entire event can be watched via the below links.
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| Araiya Casriel, a 12 year old citizen from Highlands, NJ |
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| Jennifer Lengares-Meyer, Jenkinson's Aquarium |
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| Emily Hackett with 2-year old son Leo Herrala |
The administration is required to seek public comments for the Draft Proposed 5-year (2019-2024) Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Oil and Gas Leasing Program and is also including scoping comments for the
Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The comment period ended on March 9, 2018. Following the close of the comment period the Proposed program will be released, followed by another 90-day comment period. Then the proposed Final Program will enter a 60-day review by congress prior to approval. For important updates regarding this issue please visit CleanOceanAction.org.
Background: On January 4, 2018 the Trump Administration announced the next phase of President Trump’s new 5-year Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program (Draft Proposed Plan). The plan includes opening the entire Atlantic Ocean from Maine to Florida for drilling, including all of the Jersey Shore and NY’s South Shore, and would allow rigs to come within 3 miles of beaches.
Participating Organizations: Clean Ocean Action, American Littoral Society, NY/NJ Baykeeper, Surfrider Jersey Shore, Surfrider South Jersey, Surfrider Mid-Atlantic, WaterSpirit, ANJEC, Blue Wave NJ, Food & Water Watch, League of Women Voters of NJ, NJ Conservation Foundation, Bus for Progress, Clean Water Action, Jersey Shore Partnership, Pinelands Preservation Alliance, Raritan Riverkeeper, Mott McDonald Engineers, National Parks Conservation Association, Alaska Wilderness League, Cape May Chamber of Commerce, Hackensack Riverkeeper, Sierra Club of New Jersey, Alliance for a Living Ocean, Bayshore Regional Watershed Council, Citizens Climate Lobby, Delaware Riverkeeper Network, Edison Wetlands Association, Garden Club of LBI, Garden State Seafood Association, New Jersey Audubon Society, Save Barnegat Bay, Surfers' Environmental Alliance, Gotham Whale
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