Date : Fri, 20 Mar 2015 17:51:32 -0400
For Immediate Release
March 20, 2015
Contact Jeff Tittel 609-558-9100
Oil Spill Bill passes Committee
Yesterday, A4258/S2172 (Eustace) passed in the Assembly Environment and Solid Waste Committee. This bill clarifies liability for discharge from drilling platforms that enter New Jersey waters. Any person or party who discharges from a drilling platform off the coast will have to pay for cleanup, removal, and natural resource damages. With the proposal by BOEM to allow drilling for oil and natural gas in the Atlantic Ocean, the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program could allow for drilling as close as the Maryland/Virginia border. We need this legislation to protect us from oil spills and damages forcing those who are responsible for the spill to pay for any damages to our environment or economy.
"This week there was hearing in Atlantic City to allow oil drilling of the Mid Atlantic Coast so we need this bill to pass quickly. Under current law if there is an oil spill off our coast we cannot require the polluter to pay for clean up or damages. We need this legislation not only to protect our coast, but to protect New Jersey taxpayers from paying for the cleanup. The last thing New Jersey's coastal tourism and economy needs after our recovering from Hurricane Sandy is an oil spill. The proposal to drill off the Mid-Atlantic Ocean is wrong and any drilling could harm our beaches. If anything were to happen we need to hold the party responsible and make the polluter pay," said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.
The Atlantic Coast to oil exploration could make drilling off our coast a reality. Drilling off the coast of Virginia less than 100 miles from New Jersey's coasts will pose a threat to New Jersey because Shell Oil Company has said it plans to run a pipeline through our state's waters. Since they have not strengthened the regulations for off shore drilling, the likelihood of a disaster off our coast is very real. Sierra Club's Don't Rig Our Coastal Economy report found that New Jersey's coastal tourism industry supports nearly 500,000 jobs, and one out of every six of the state's jobs are linked in some form to its shoreline. Visits to the area generate $16.6 billion in wages and add $5.5 billion to the state's tax offers.
"Instead of working to protect our coast, once again we see a proposal to drill off of our coast. This plan threatens our environment and will put our coast at risk. Drilling up to the Maryland border will put oil wells 100 miles from our beaches. Given the prevailing currents, any spill there would threaten our beaches. This proposal is shortsighted because of the potential for a little bit of oil could jeopardize our coast, our fisheries and our tourism industry. New Jersey's coastal economy is just starting to come back from Hurricane Sandy. We need off shore drilling, like we need another hurricane," said Tittel. "This bill holds polluters accountable for all cleanup, removal, and natural resource damages, though we shouldn't be drilling at all."