Chris Smith Fights Trump On Atlantic Ocean Oil Drilling

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — President Donald Trump is facing opposition in New Jersey from Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike, over his plans to allow for oil and natural gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean.

In early December, the Trump administration gave preliminary authorization to five oil companies to conduct seismic airgun testing in a region of the Atlantic Ocean that stretches from Delaware to Florida. Even though the testing isn't technically being done off the New Jersey coast, New Jersey ocean waters would be affected. Seismic testing, which shoots airgun blasts against the ocean floor to look for fossil fuel, can travel thousands of miles under water and can hurt marine life.

“Not here, not now, not ever,” said Rep. Chris Smith on Dec. 4. Smith is a longtime Republican congressman who represents large swaths of Monmouth and Ocean counties. Smith is working with a multi-state bipartisan group of Congress members to halt oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic.

Trump has long said he wants to explore oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. If the companies get final approval, that testing would likely start as early as April.

Smith signed on to a letter — with 93 signers — currently being circulated by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL) and Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), to ask the Department of the Interior to deny those final permits. (Click here to read the letter)

“I am unalterably opposed to oil and gas drilling and exploration off New Jersey’s coastline, the first step of which is seismic airgun blasting,” Smith has said. “Seismic airgun blasting in particular can deafen or seriously maim local marine wildlife which rely upon sonar power for movement and can significantly affect local fish populations, which in turn harms our NJ fishing industries.”

The battle is unique because it's one in which Smith, a staunch Republican, is joining forces with Democrats like Gov. Phil Murphy and Congressman Frank Pallone, both of which are also vocally against Atlantic oil drilling.

Earlier this year, on April 20, Smith joined Murphy when he signed NJ’s STOP Offshore Oil and Gas Act in Point Pleasant Beach.

“Secretary Zinke has told the NJ delegation that the Administration probably would not be opening exploration off the coast of New Jersey — a step in the right direction,” Smith said. “But I remain concerned about — and opposed to — opening any waters off the East Coast for exploration, including seismic airgun blasting. Not here, not ever.”

Numerous studies show that seismic airgun blasting — firing blasts of compressed air on the ocean floor 100,000 times more intense than a jet engine to discover potential oil and gas reserves— could pose serious harm to marine life in the area and fish populations. Fishing industries, and the local coastal economies which rely upon them, could also suffer from this disruption.

Official Congressional photo of Rep. Smith (R-New Jersey's 4th Congressional district)