Frank Joseph Pallone Jr., the U.S. Representative for New Jersey's 6th congressional district, says that the battle against the Trump Administration’s push for seismic blasting and drilling for oil and gas in the Atlantic Ocean has made progress.
In 2017, President Trump signed an executive order that supports offshore oil and gas drilling along the East Coast. On June 25, Pallone secured House passage of an amendment that prohibits federal spending to advance oil and gas leasing in the Atlantic Ocean.
"It’s now time for the Senate to take up the underlying legislation, because we need to protect our shores from the Trump Administration’s dangerous offshore drilling plans. The coastal communities in my district depend on a healthy ecosystem to thrive, and an oil spill would threaten the economic vitality of the Jersey Shore and communities up and down the Atlantic Coast,” Pallone said.
The ocean and its related industries are large contributors to the New Jersey economy. The state's Jersey Shore is home to more than $700 billion in coastal properties, and the tourism industry generates almost 500,000 jobs, or nearly 10% of New Jersey’s workforce. New Jersey’s commercial fishing industry generates over $7.9 billion annually, supporting over 50,000 jobs, and its saltwater recreational fishing industries is among the largest in the nation.
“I thank the business leaders and environmental advocates for their leadership and help as we continue to fight the Trump Administration’s reckless plans,” he added.