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TEHRAN, December 01 - "Seismic testing risks injuring and killing critically endangered species, severely disrupting economically important fisheries, and threatening the Jersey shore," said Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) -"Seismic testing risks injuring and killing critically endangered species, severely disrupting economically important fisheries, and threatening the Jersey shore," said Democratic Congressman Frank Pallone.
U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly okayed the applications of several oil and gas companies looking to prospect in the Atlantic Ocean. The prospecting process involves seismic blasts that environmental groups say will harm whales and dolphins.
The National Marine Fisheries Service will soon grant "incidental harassment authorizations" to a handful of applicants, Bloomberg reported Thursday. The authorizations, approved by Trump, will allow oil and gas prospectors to disturb federally protected animals during their search for oil and gas.
Air blasts, sent once every few seconds for weeks at a time, are used to map the contours of the Atlantic seafloor and locate potential drilling targets.
Both environmental groups and politicians quickly criticized the president's decision.
"Seismic testing risks injuring and killing critically endangered species, severely disrupting economically important fisheries, and threatening the Jersey shore," Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr., D-N.J., said in a news release. "An environmentally sound coast is critical to New Jersey's economy and it is very possible that seismic testing could lead to oil and gas drilling off our coast -- threatening public health, coastal communities, and hundreds of thousands of jobs. Members from both sides of the aisle will work tirelessly to fight this reckless decision by the Trump administration."
Environmental activists argue the seismic blasts will harm already vulnerable marine mammals, including blue whales, right whales and others.
Previous research efforts have shown seismic blasts can disrupt whales' navigation and communication abilities, as well as their feeding and mating behaviors.
Source: UPI
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