New Jersey's Energy Future

NJ Energy Master Plan

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities has requested comments on updates to New Jersey’s Energy Master Plan, which lays out a strategic vision for the State’s energy future. COA urged a wide scale implementation of conservation and efficiency measures as NJ’s first energy choice. They are the most cost effective, environmentally friendly choice, and studies have shown can dramatically reduce energy usage. NJ has fallen behind in the transition to clean energy, and a revised Energy Master Plan is a first step in making our state a leader in this field once again. More should be done to implement renewable energy technologies to replace outdated power plants, especially the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant, scheduled to close in 2019, and BL England, a part-time coal plant that is seeking to retrofit to full-time natural gas with a once through cooling system.  COA is also encouraging a renewed commitment to protecting NJ’s critical energy infrastructure from the effects of climate change and sea level rise.

Pinelands Pipeline and B.L. England

Related to New Jersey’s energy future, on Friday, August 14, the Pinelands Commission issued a “certificate of filing” for the South Jersey Gas pipeline, essentially approving the controversial project without a vote by the Pinelands Commission.  The pipeline would run through the Pinelands and its watershed habitat to the B.L. England Power Plant that is being retrofitted to switch from a part-time plant to a full-time 24/7 power plant burning natural gas.  However, studies and some analyses show that the plant is not needed and that there is more than enough energy available.  Of great concern to marine life is that the plant has a once through cooling system and will withdraw water from Great Egg Harbor Bay for energy generation and cooling purposes.  COA and others were party to litigation to halt the water withdrawals led by Super Law Group, but were ultimately unsuccessful.  COA will keep you posted on this growing threat.

Salem Nuclear Generating Station

Similarly, COA is supporting Delaware Riverkeeper’s lead efforts to stop NJDEP’s recently issued permit renewal for the Salem Nuclear Generating Station that will allow continued water withdrawal and thermal discharge to the Delaware River. Under this renewed permit, Salem Nuclear Power Plant will continue to kill billions of fish and aquatic species each year, as it withdraws over 3 billion gallons of water per day, crushing larger organisms against screens and entraining anything small enough to get through the screens. NJDEP should have required cooling towers to be built by Exelon Generation LLC., the owners of the plant, which would reduce fish kills by 95%. If you would like to speak out against the NJDEP’s decision to continue to allow this destruction of Delaware Bay, email susan.rosenwinkel@dep.nj.gov, and tell her that Salem Nuclear Power Plant should end this fish slaughter, and be required to build cooling towers.

Obama Administration’s Final Decision Declares Open Season on the Atlantic by Big Oil

Obama Administration’s Final Decision Declares Open Season on the Atlantic by Big Oil

Coalition Responds to Administration’s Hypocritical Ocean Policy--- Adds Insult to Injury off Jersey Shore

Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announced its issuance of the Record of Decision for environmental review of geological and geophysical survey activities associated with oil and gas exploration off the Atlantic coast, which has been under a drilling moratorium for decades. 

Upon hearing of this development, Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action, stated, “The Obama Administration has officially declared open season on the Atlantic for Big Oil to exploit and threaten our coasts.  This is clearly hypocritical; President Obama just declared June as ‘National Oceans Month,’ calling upon us to be good ocean stewards.  Which side the of the ocean is he on?”  

The Record of Decision brings energy companies one step closer to beginning exploration of the mid- and south-Atlantic, from Delaware Bay to Florida, for oil and gas reserves.  Zipf pointed to the strong opposition that citizens and elected officials in many coastal states have shown over the years to offshore oil and gas development.

“Atlantic coastal states have thrived for decades on clean ocean economies such as tourism and commercial and recreational fishing.  The New Jersey coastal delegation in particular has stood firm in its resistance to offshore fossil fuel development due to the huge risks that oil spills pose to the marine environment.  One spill could wipe out our entire coastal economy.”

Under the President’s proposed plan, energy companies will be permitted to conduct harmful seismic testing offshore to locate potential oil and gas deposits.  Seismic testing involves the use of arrays of airguns towed behind a vessel that shoot extremely loud, pressurized blasts of air into the water column.  Research on impacts to marine life from seismic testing have shown responses that range from harassment to death. 

“Allowing seismic testing in the Atlantic Ocean is essentially opening the floodgates to oil and gas development.  Before an oil well is even drilled, seismic testing could displace fisheries, deafen whales and dolphins, and interrupt vital marine animal behaviors, such as feeding, migration, communication, and breeding,” said Cassandra Ornell, Clean Ocean Action Staff Scientist.  “BOEM claims that the approved plan establishes ‘safeguards to reduce or eliminate impacts to marine life.’  The only way to ensure that is to not do seismic testing at all,” added Ornell.

This announcement comes on the heels of the Federal government’s approval of another seismic testing study in the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey.  “New Jersey’s marine ecosystem is already going to be subject to seismic blasting this summer by Rutgers University for scientific research purposes.  BOEM is adding insult to injury with today’s approval of additional seismic blasting for oil and gas development,” stated Zipf.

Have an Efficient Holiday Season – Environmentally Speaking!

This season, Clean Ocean Action is offering tips on how to green your holiday. Here is the seventh of twelve in COA's '12 Days of Green Giving' series.

By: Sean Dixon, Coastal Policy Attorney

Want to have a happy holiday? How about saving money (and the planet)? 

We all know that the holiday season can bring a host of environmental impacts – large quantities of plastic (packaging), paper (wrapping), lights (decorating), and food (good-cheering) all add up.  A news report from Vermont tallied up the amount of energy Americans will use for holiday lighting: 6 trillion watt-hours.  That’s apparently enough to power every home in New Hampshire for a month.

We’ll also toss millions of batteries (40% of all batteries sold each year are sold during the holidays), buy 33 million Christmas trees, generate a huge amount of “e-waste” (TVs, smartphones, etc) that have special waste issues, and buy 100 million strands of lights.

Having a more efficient holiday season doesn't necessarily mean having no holiday season; it’s an opportunity to green up your winter.

There are a ton of lists out there for ways to be greener during the holidays – like here and here.  Our Clean Ocean Action favorites include:

1. Combine shopping trips

According to NYSERDA (the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority), one of the least efficient ways to spend your holidays is shuttling back and forth from home on a series of short shopping trips – for food, gifts, party supplies, and Santa beards.  According to the agency, “Several short trips can use twice as much fuel as a longer one that covers the same distance.”   Another related suggestion is to leave the bad holiday vibes at home – NYSERDA warns that “Aggressive driving wastes gas and can lower your mileage by as much as 33 percent on the highway and 5 percent around town.”  That, and aggressive driving probably leads to aggressive shopping, and that rarely ends well.

Also, check out other tips for efficient driving from www.FuelEconomy.gov.

2. Beat the heat

As the Frugal Living blog points out “extra bodies in the house means extra warmth at no cost to you.”  Let your family reduce your energy bills - by turning down the heat before your guests arrive, you can save a ton of money from the heat generated by all those guests (and all the cooking).  Speaking of cooking, every time you peak into the stove to check on how your food is cooking, your oven temp drops – some say by as much as 25 degrees per peak – so trust your timer and keep the oven shut.

Of course, you can always winterize your home by putting up plastic sheets over your windows (window kits available at most stores!). This may sound counter-intuitive, for those looking to reduce plastics you their lives, but window winterization can lean to pretty significant heating and cooling cost savings, and those plastic sheets for your windows are reusable, year after year.

3. Mind the lights

Finally, make the switch to LED lights.  The US Department of Energy estimated the cost of running different strings of light 12 hours a day for 40 days, and the results are stark.  Standard bulb strings with 125 4-watt lights will cost you 45 times more than a string of 280 0.04-watt LED lights.  Why spend $25 on electricity when you can spend $0.50.  

The Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center, NYC, has, apparently, somewhere between 30,000 and 45,000 lights on 5 miles of wires.  When NYC Mayor Bloomberg championed the switch to LED lights, he said that people will now “see an example of green leadership which may inspire them to make greener choices in their own lives.” The 2007 switch to LEDs dropped the energy use by more than 50% - down to 1,297 kilowatt hours per day (equal to the amount of electricity consumed by a typical 2,000-square-foot house in a month).

For an extra dose of Holiday cheer, give the gift of efficiency – solar and LED lights make great gifts, as do window winterizing kits.

Superstorm Sandy Inspired Education: First Virtual 'Teach-In' on Climate Issues November 13-15

Coalition Calling For Teachers to Educate Students on Climate Change, Sea Level Rise, Severe Weather, and Solutions

Clean Ocean Action is inviting teachers, instructors, and educators to participate in a program to bring climate issues into the classroom for three days in November as a part of Waves of Action For The Shore.  The Waves of Action initiative was created after Superstorm Sandy to help coastal communities recover. 

For the November Waves focus, Clean Ocean Action compiled educational materials from national and international sources that creatively and clearly present complex scientific issues.  These resources include videos, activity booklets, and pre-written interactive lesson plans.  Materials are sorted by topic and age groups with resources available for all grades from K-12.  Teachers will also be asked for feedback and input about their experience to help COA gain insights on how to improve climate education initiatives.

“We believe there is something inspiring, cathartic, and exciting about collectively taking part in shared education activities,” said Cindy Zipf, Clean Ocean Action Executive Director. “They bring people together for a common goal; here in the NY/NJ region, education about the impacts from Superstorm Sandy and climate threats are essential to improving our future resiliency and environmental stewardship,” she added.

Registered teachers will be given online resources on the following topics to be presented to their classes any time from Wednesday, November 13^th through Friday, November 15^th:

• Superstorm Sandy: What Do We Know?
• Climate Change/Global Warming
• Sea Level Rise: Cause and Effect
• Climate Change Water Impacts: Droughts, Floods, & Ocean Acidification
• Energy Use, Your Carbon Footprint, & Solutions

“We are asking teachers, scout leaders, school club advisors, and other educators from across New Jersey and New York to take part in the first ‘Virtual Teach-In’ and educate their students during November 13-15,” said Catie Tobin Clean Ocean Action Ocean Advocacy and Education Fellow. “This is a great opportunity for educational leaders in the community to expand understanding of climate issues in an interactive way,” Tobin explained.

To receive information educators are being asked to register on the Waves of Action website, www.ForTheShore.org.  Once registered, they will be sent links to the online educational activities. Teachers will also be asked for feedback and input about the Virtual Teach-In and invited to suggest ideas and activities.  

Fracking, the Foodopoly, and Our Future

Please join us for Fracking, the Foodopoly, and Our Future 

Thursday, April 4th at 7pm 

Reception with light hors d'oeuvres begins at 6pm

Two River Theater -- 21 Bridge Ave-- Red Bank, NJ 07701 

Join Food & Water Watch for a panel discussion featuring experts on energy policy and our food system to understand how the rush for natural gas development and the deterioration of our food system are intricately linked together. 

Panelists

Wenonah Hauter-- Executive Director, Food & Water Watch and Foodopoly author

Dean Nelson-- Dean's Natural Food Market

J. Stephen Cleghorn, PhD-- Paradise Gardens and Farm, LLC

Sean Dixon-- Coastal Policy Attorney of Clean Ocean Action

Free and open to the public! 

Register at http://bit.ly/foodopolyredbank. 

For more information, contact Emily Reuman at 978.844.2164 or ereuman@fwwatch.org. 

~

Thanks to our Host Committee: 

Rosemary Parish, Robert Scardapane, WATERSPIRIT, and Tina Weishaus. 

~

To purchase your copy of Foodopoly in advance through River Road Books and pick it up at the Theater, visit www.riverroadbooks.net/special_order.html. 

You'll also have a chance to buy a signed copy of Foodopoly at the event (while supplies last). 

Hurricane Sandy: A Warning Against Future Offshore Industrialization

Hurricane Sandy is advancing north toward the Mid-Atlantic.  

Although the projected paths vary on where the storm will hit land, it is clear that if we allow offshore energy projects like LNG terminals and Offshore Oil Drilling the ocean would be MORE at risk and the potential impacts (economic and environmental) to our coastal areas would greatly increase.

Oil and gas exploration plans are underway from mid-Florida to the southern tip of New Jersey with deafening seismic sonar surveys expected to begin next year - blasting deafening sound waves across the seafloor (killing, harming, and dispersing all forms of marine life (to varying degrees)).  There are active proponents in Virginia who want to see oil rigs off their coast ASAP. 

Similarly, Liquefied Natural Gas Terminals have been proposed off the New Jersey and New York coasts.  These facilities would be the docking sites of giant tanker ships carrying vast quantities of concentrated energy.

Across the Gulf of Mexico region, hurricanes have damaged and destroyed rigs and pipeline ports - resulting in oil spills and debris that have destroyed coastal ecosystems (anyone remember the BP Deepwater Horizon?!?).  Billion dollar coastal economies of the Atlantic Coast that depend on clean oceans would be jeopardized.  

YOU get help protect our coasts and industry-free oceans by supporting the Clean Ocean Zone and COA as we continue to fight these offshore energy threats to our oceans!

Help us keep these industries out of the ocean so that the next time we're facing yet another major storm, we're not also living with the fear of an offshore energy disaster!

Main Thunder Horse production platform listing after being struck by Hurricane Dennis in 2005 (source: www.wastedenergy.net)

More on Hurricane Sandy

NOAA Hurricane Center, The Weather Channel, and WeatherUnderground.com  

Please take care and prepare for the storm.

Useful links on the looming offshore energy threat:

• More on LNG Terminals
• BOEM Offshore Oil and Gas Energy
• BOEM South and MidAtlantic Exploration EIS
• Bi-Partisian Support for a Clean Ocean 
• Elected Officials Speak Out Against Drilling
• Seismic Surveys Threaten Marine Life

      

Natural Gas Exports and Energy Independence? Why are we sending out energy future overseas!?

Yesterday, Cambridge Energy’s Request for Withdrawal of its application to export LNG was finalized by the DOE. 

This LNG Export authorization application withdrawal is notable for two reasons:

1. This is the first LNG export withdrawal in this new era of LNG market shifts, and
2. Cambridge Energy claims they are withdrawing because the Deepwater Port Act doesn’t allow exports from offshore LNG ports….yet.

On the question of LNG exports from offshore ports, the Department of Transportation recently requested that Congress make such exports legal. (See April 16 letter to Congress re: MARAD Enhancement).  According to the letter, the US Coast Guard and the DOE agree that deepwater ports should be allowed to be built for exports from the OCS.  In the rationale section of the letter, signed by Sec. LaHood, the DOT specifically points out that:

“Expanding MARAD’s authority to licenses for LNG terminals used for export would 

provide a safe and secure method for the export of emerging natural gas 

markets and would benefit U.S. energy companies.” (see page 5).

It is discouraging that the DOT, DOE, and Coast Guard would be so enthusiastic about finding new ways to create “benefit” for energy companies that they would propose legislation that would have long-term impacts on the OCS, coastal ecosystems, and, according to the EIA report on LNG exports, likely lead to more fracking, more coal use at US power plants, and increased energy costs for US consumers and industries.

Oh, and then there’s energy independence…

Finally, one thing incredibly vital to note is that, contrary to some claims in the media and on the Hill (that the DOE hasn’t allowed exports yet), there are already over 15 Billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d, or about 5.7 Trillion cubic feet per year (Tcf/year)) approved exports (click link for specifics from DOE as of Sept 21, 2012).  There are another 12 Bcf/d pending approval – for a total of 27.42 Bcf/d (or 10 Tcf/year).  The export authorizations that the DOE hasn’t yet made are for exports to non-FTA nations. 

The approved and pending-approved authorizations (which under the law must be granted without modification or delay), if exported at capacity every day, means the DOE has authorized up to 43% of our annual domestic natural gas Dry Production to be sent overseas (based on 2011 annual US dry production of 23 Tcf) each year. 

So much for energy independence... 

[PRESS RELEASE] NY/NJ CONGRESSMEN JOIN TOGETHER IN BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT OF A CLEAN OCEAN!

For Immediate Release: July 25, 2012

Press Information:  Lindsay McNamara

communications@cleanoceanaction.org

For Policy Questions:  Cindy Zipf (732) 996-4613 or Sean Dixon (732) 872-0111

NY/NJ CONGRESSMEN JOIN TOGETHER IN BI-PARTISAN

SUPPORT OF A CLEAN OCEAN!

Ocean defenders say “NO” to expanded offshore oil drilling and fight to protect clean ocean economies.

Sandy Hook, NJ--This afternoon, the New Jersey Congressional delegation voted nearly unanimously in bi-partisan support for the ocean by saying “NO” to HR 6082, the latest attempt to bring Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling to the Atlantic Ocean.  Unfortunately, despite New Jersey’s strong bipartisan opposition, and the support of New York’s coastal Congressional Democrats, the bill ultimately passed by a margin of 253 – 170.

New Jersey Republicans LoBiondo (R-2nd), Runyan (R-3rd), Smith (R-4th), Lance (R-7th), and Frelinghuysen (R-11th) joined with New Jersey Democrats Andrews (D-1st), Pallone (D-6th), Pascrell (D-8th), Rothman (D-9th), Holt (D- 12th), and Sires (D-13th), and coastal New York Democrats Bishop (D-1st), Israel (D-2nd), McCarthy (D-4th), and Nadler (D-8th) in voting against this bill that could bring oil and gas rigs to the greater Mid-Atlantic Ocean within the year. 

The five New Jersey Republicans voting no to HR 6082 were only joined by 4 other members of the Republican caucus – making the NY/NJ delegation the fiercest bi-partisan group defending clean ocean economies.

“The bipartisan support for the ocean by the NY and NJ Congressmen today affirmed the region’s longstanding leadership and bi-partisan commitment to our clean ocean economies,” said Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action. “We are extremely proud that our leaders put politics in the back seat, instead choosing to protect our fisheries, coastal businesses, and our Atlantic Ocean.”

“All along the New Jersey and Long Island coastlines, our Representatives have heard the voices of coastal citizens and businesses,” noted Clean Ocean Action attorney Sean Dixon; “bringing oil and gas drilling to the Atlantic Ocean would risk the ruin of our billion-dollar commercial and recreational fisheries, our billion-dollar tourism and recreation industries, and our priceless history of ocean stewardship.”

This vote, the fifth or sixth vote by the House of Representatives trying to open a majority of the nation’s oceans (including the Atlantic Ocean) to offshore energy production, will not likely be passed by the Senate, and if it was, President Obama has promised a veto.

This summer, Clean Ocean Action will be holding a “Tour for the Shore” – travelling from Cape May Point, NJ on August 10th to Montauk Point, NY on the 24th, holding rallies and meet-ups in each of these Congressional districts to thank these Representatives for their commitment to the ocean and to call for the establishment of the nation’s first Clean Ocean Zone (www.cleanoceanzone.org).

For more on the Tour for the Shore, see cleanocean.wordpress.com/tour

###

Comment Period on Seismic Exploration ends July 2!

The public comment period on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement concerning seismic exploration in the Mid-Atlantic ends July 2, 2012.  Only two weeks left for citizens to put their opposition to seismic testing in the Mid-Atlantic in writing!

Written comments should be enclosed and submitted to:

Comments on the Draft PEIS for Atlantic G&G Activities
Mr. Gary D. Goeke, Chief
Regional Assessment Section, Office of Environment (MS5410)
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard
New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394

Comments by email should be sent to: 

GGEIS@boem.gov
Email Subject Heading Must Read: "Comments on the Draft PEIS for Atlantic G&G Activities"

Keystone XL Pipeline Nixed

The Keystone XL pipeline, a plan to run Canadian "tar sand" oil from Alberta, Canada, to the Gulf of Mexico for export overseas, was Rejected by President Obama yesterday.

The pipeline, much like LNG ports here in New Jersey, was not needed, harmful, and wouldn't help our energy security one bit.

Read the President's statement here: http://goo.gl/ygI6z

For more on this environmental victory from the Great Plains, check out these blogs:

NRDC: http://goo.gl/2FI84
Sierra: http://goo.gl/ps4nW

Tracking Greenhouse Gas Emissions – New EPA Map!

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has released a new map for tracking greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions from major industrial sources across the United States.

Under the Clean Air Act, and the “Massachusetts v. EPA” decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007, the EPA has the authority to regulate pollution from major industrial facilities.  GHGs, defined by the EPA as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6), are considered to be pollutants by the courts and the EPA when emitted in huge quantities by these “major” sources.

On the map, you can view the emissions of facilities like power plants and landfills, and compare and contrast states, zip codes, facilities, etc.  It really is a well-designed (if a bit “full of information”) map!

Access the map here: http://ghgdata.epa.gov/ghgp/main.do

According to the EPA, these GHGs contribute to the Greenhouse Effect which is defined as:

Trapping and build-up of heat in the atmosphere (troposphere) near the Earth’s surface. Some of the heat flowing back toward space from the Earth's surface is absorbed by water vapor, carbon dioxide, ozone, and several other gases in the atmosphere and then reradiated back toward the Earth’s surface. If the atmospheric concentrations of these greenhouse gases rise, the average temperature of the lower atmosphere will gradually increase.

This Greenhouse Effect, coupled with ocean currents and other natural processes that distribute heat across the globe, contribute to Climate Change, defined by the EPA as:

Any significant change in measures of climate (such as temperature, precipitation, or wind) lasting for an extended period (decades or longer).

Climate change may result from, according to the EPA:

• natural factors, such as changes in the sun's intensity or slow changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun;
• natural processes within the climate system (e.g. changes in ocean circulation);
• activities that change the atmosphere's composition (e.g. through burning fossil fuels) and the land surface (e.g. deforestation, reforestation, urbanization, desertification, etc.) 

So check out the map!

Atlantic Ocean Transmission Line

Holiday "Extension Cord" Proposal Officially Filed

Today, the US Department of Interior (which, somehow, has control over all energy activities in the ocean) released a proposal for granting a “right of way” for the “Atlantic Wind Connection” project to build a hundreds-of-miles-long 7,000 MegaWatt power line from New York to Virginia along the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.

Read the Department’s Press Release Here

According to a federal notice published this morning, the Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management received an application on March 31, 2011, for a license (called a “right of way”) to construct the “Atlantic Wind Connection”  project.  This project would entail building a total of 790 miles of high-voltage power lines from New York to Virginia at sea. 

Ostensibly, this project is being proposed in order to “collect power generated by wind power generation facilities” and send it ashore.  As of now, however, there are no wind projects build at sea, and those that are in the development phase generally contain plans to get the energy to the onshore power grids. 

Somewhat telling, however, is the admission in the notice that:

“When the wind power generation facilities are not functioning at full capacity, the AWC facilities would facilitate the transmission of conventionally generated electricity between points on the onshore grid.”

So, until offshore wind facilities become entirely operational, this grid will be transmitting power generated from fossil fuel facilities - not anything "green"  

Clean Ocean Action is keeping an eye on this project (that seems, on first glance, to be unnecessary) and we plan on submitting comments by the February 21st deadline.   

National Ocean Council’s “Ocean Policy Listening Sessions”

Attention Clean Ocean Action Wavemakers!

The new National Ocean Policy, declared by President Obama in his Executive Order on the Stewardship of the Ocean, our Coasts, and the Great Lakes, created the new National Ocean Council (NOC).  The NOC, and the ocean policy experts from many federal agencies, will be holding a “listening session” in New Jersey to hear from people throughout the Mid-Atlantic Region on how the federal government should be managing the oceans.

This Mid-Atlantic Ocean Listening Session is a great chance to learn about what the National Ocean Policy means for our ocean, what the NOC plans on doing to advance this Policy, and how you can stay involved.   The event will be held at Monmouth University, in Long Branch, NJ, from 10am – 5pm.  More details on an agenda will be available soon.

The Listening Session will focus on 9 Strategic Action Plans developed for each of these areas of ocean policy:

1.       Ecosystem-Based Management – (managing the oceans holistically)

2.       Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning – (integrating all ocean uses to minimize conflicts)

3.       Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding – (improving the state of our ocean sciences)

4.       Coordinate and Support – (improving collaboration between federal, state, local, tribal groups)

5.       Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification 

6.       Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration – (make conservation of habitats a priority)

7.       Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land – (takes Ocean Policy onto land)

8.       Changing Conditions in the Arctic

9.       Ocean, Coastal, and Great Lakes Observations, Mapping, and Infrastructure – (coordinate and expand the many different ocean information gathering sources)

The National Ocean Policy Background

According to the White House’s Oceans Portal (www.whitehouse.gov/oceans), the National Ocean Policy (NOP) “aims to improve the coordination of ocean and coastal management efforts at all levels of government, restore the health of these resources, enhance the ocean and coastal economies, and promote sustainable uses and access.”

Unlike many other federal initiatives, the NOP isn’t a new law or regulation – it is, at the most basic level, a plan for increasing coordination and collaboration between programs, offices, and departments that impact the oceans. 

The NOP is, and always was intended to be, a long-term project.  The initial stages of the process (where we are now) involve simply reaching out to the public, talking to the people, cities, counties, and states of the coastal region, and forming regional teams of experts to map out the who, what, and where of the oceans.

The National Ocean Council

The NOC, made up of many of the President’s lead advisors, agency administrators, and some Cabinet Secretaries and Undersecretaries, has a mission to “to provide sustained, high-level, and coordinated attention to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes issues and to focus on actions to advance the National [Ocean] Policy.”

Importantly for our region, the NOC will “facilitate the regional development and implementation of” plans by empowering a “Mid-Atlantic Regional Ocean Council” (made up of federal, state, tribal, and a few other representatives from Virginia to New York) to analyze the Mid-Atlantic’s ocean economy, ecology, and future and to prepare marine spatial plans that would, ideally, coordinate all ocean and coastal uses (boating, fishing, energy development, etc) in a way that minimizes conflict between users. 

Clean Ocean Action has submitted comments on the proposed Strategic Action Plans, and on the National Ocean Policy itself, and will be at the Mid-Atlantic Listening Session at Monmouth University on June 30th. 

For our Clean Ocean Action “NOP Listening Session” event page on Facebook, click here

COA offers testimony against Hydraulic-Fracturing (fracking)

Today, in Trenton, the New Jersey Assembly’s Environment and Solid Waste Committee, led by Assemblyman and Deputy-Speaker John F. McKeon (D), is considering a bill and two resolutions on “Hydraulic-Fracturing” (a.k.a., “fracking”). 

A3653 is a bill that establishes a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing for purpose of natural gas

exploration or production until (1) the EPA completes its assessment of the water quality impacts of fracking (expected in early 2012), and (2) the NJDEP commissioner reads the report and concludes, officially and on the record that the New Jersey moratorium should be lifted.

If Assembly Joint Resolution 67 passes, it would be a statement from the NJ Legislature urging Delaware, New York, and Pennsylvania to enact moratorium against hydraulic fracturing until EPA concludes its study and issues its findings on that drilling practice.

In a resolution directed at the U.S. Congress, Assembly Resolution 112 urges the enactment of H.R. No. 2766, known as the “Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act of 2009” – a proposed bill from the last Congressional Session co-sponsored by, among 69 others, New Jersey Representatives Holt, Pallone, and Rothman.  Primarily, this bill would overturn long-standing exemptions from environmental and public health-related laws that the natural gas industry has, including the Safe Drinking Water Act. 

In Trenton, Clean Ocean Action has submitted the following testimony to the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee on these bills:

Clean Ocean Action supports the passage of the three hydraulic-fracturing bills and resolutions pending before the New Jersey Legislature.  A3653 is a bill that would have our state responsibly protected from the unknown by not allowing “fracking” until we know its impacts on water quality.  AJR 67 and AR 112 are resolutions that similarly ask that we learn what’s at stake before we move forward with new natural gas production using hydro-fracking.  We stand at an energy-policy crossroads in New Jersey, and the failures of the past (in exempting fracking from almost any regulation or oversight) should not continue into the future.  Clean Ocean Action asks that you pass these bills to stop fracking from continuing while the EPA is completing its impact analysis.  Our oceans and coasts are fed by the water systems that are increasingly threatened by mixed-chemical fracking projects.  In order to protect downstream ecosystems, the region must allow the EPA to complete its assessment of fracking water impacts.

There are safe ways to produce natural gas, and many operators follow these practices, but there are documented risks associated with fracking.  These risks threaten downstream and coastal ecosystems with contamination by an unknown quality and quantity of chemicals and toxins.  Before fracking projects are licensed by the state or in the region, these impacts must be quantified and traced to their sources.  Like any other industrial project, we must understand all the risks of fracking before we jump onboard – these NJ Legislature bills and resolutions speak to this need for knowledge. 

The Delaware Riverkeeper and Food and Water Watch have been active and vocal in this initiative and in proceedings before the Delaware River Basin Commission on fracking rules.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED: VOICE YOUR OPPOSITION TO LNG!

Despite the Governor’s veto of the Liberty Natural Gas project, the Federal Agencies in charge of the approval process have yet to declare the project officially over and official comments are still being submitted by the few remaining supporters of the project.  Please take a few moments today to post brief official comments on your objections to the LNG project.  Comments are due by 5pm TODAY (February 23)!

If you were planning on testifying at the Public Hearings, just submit what you were going to say, even if it’s only a few lines.  Below are the link to comment electronically and some talking points to use if you want.

http://www.regulations.gov/#!submitComment;D=USCG-2010-0993-0034

• The Liberty Natural Gas application document is thousands of pages long.  We don’t need an Environmental Impact Survey to know it is environmentally harmful, not in the public interest, will lead to increased energy costs, threaten coastal jobs, put communities at risk from pipelines, and increase our dependency on foreign energy.  By terminating the project now, millions of tax payer dollars will be saved since federal, state, and local staff will not need to perform costly and time consuming permit writing activities.   
• 87 organizations, 35 towns and governing bodies, and over 20,000 citizens have reviewed the project and agree that it is wrong for the region.

·         Governor Christie performed his due diligence – he and his staff at the NJDEP spent several months reviewing the project and analyzing its potential impacts before ultimately concluding that it wasn’t consistent with the New Jersey shore economy, environment, and community.

• With the power vested in him by the federal Deepwater Port Act, Governor Christie has vetoed this project.  Federal agencies must declare the Liberty Natural Gas project null and void because, under the law, a Governor’s veto is the final word.

Celebrations and Thanks!!

Thank you, thank you, thank you  to everyone who joined us last night at McCloone's to celebrate Governor Christie's veto of the Liberty Natural Gas LNG application. 

It was truly amazing to see so many dedicated citizens out in full force--celebrating the many hours of advocacy everyone dedicated to protecting our ocean.

Here at Clean Ocean Action, we are still celebrating (and pinching ourselves!) but looking towards the future and the big task ahead: the Clean Ocean Zone.

In our sights is a piece of federal legislation that will protect the NY/NJ bight in its entirety.  We'll be blogging about it in the upcoming weeks--so stay tuned!

In the meantime, raise a glass, pat your friend on the back and remember to THANK GOVERNOR CHRISTIE for his leadership on this issue! 

Cheers!

Liberty Natural Gas Public Hearings Cancelled

For nearly four years now, Clean Ocean Action and our coalition partners have been fighting to stop liquefied natural gas projects from happening.  And now, it looks like that fight is over and WE WON!  Governor Christie vetoed the Liberty Natural Gas project that was proposed for off Asbury Park, NJ.  His veto signifies the end of this bad project. 

In case you haven’t heard the news yet, the Public Hearings scheduled this week for the 8^th, 9^th, and 10^th are now CANCELLED.  Since the project is dead, the Coast Guard and Maritime Administration decided it was pointless to gather public comment on it.  If you were going to come to one of the hearings, thank you for your support, but please don’t come anymore.  Instead, join us at McLoone’s Pier House,

1 Ocean Ave, Long Branch

at 7pm tonight (Feb. 9^th) for a victory celebration- the end of LNG!  Thanks to Tim McLoone, all COA supporters will receive one FREE DRINK ticket upon arrival, as well as some light snacks.  Please RSVP by going to our website.

It is very rare that we actually get such a clear cut victory for the ocean.  We are lucky to have leadership that understands just have vital a healthy, clean ocean is to NJ citizens and the economy.  Thank you to all of you for your efforts in this battle and for standing by our side.  We hope to see you for a drink tonight!