It's true.

And so begins the destruction of the Eastern Seaboard that all the Wind mill, "Drill Baby Drill" people have been waiting for.

It's all about energy independence, right? Reducing global warming, green energy, not letting the Chinese beat us in the "Green Race"

Well. It's gonna cost us, and it's gonna cost a lot more than money. It's gonna cost a lot of marine life, and this is only the beginning as this administration opens up the North West Atlantic to energy production.

I wonder if my green friends thought it would only be the "passive" windmills that would be in that big energy Super Highway that they couldn't wait to see develop.

One in particular claims to be an environmentalist, or so it seems. That broad brimmed hat does not fool me.

Well, here ya go. Just what you've been waiting for.

I received an email from Jim Lovgren, forwarding his written comment's to BOEM, made at BOEM’s public hearing, the only one scheduled for New Jersey  to voice their opposition to these proposed seismic surveys that will be taking out whales, dolphin's and anything else in the survey area in the quest for energy, green or black.

borehead, don't know whether you saw these or not, but these are my written comments to BOEM, feel  free to use the comments, they need to be spread around as much as possible. This issue could be used to clearly define the eco frauds from the true environmentalists. There has been no sign of PEW  PEG or EDF so far as I have heard regarding this proposed massive slaughter of marine mammals.  NRDC has been hot in opposition, and it was their Micheal Jasny who had an opinion piece published in the Asbury Park Press a couple weeks ago, that made me aware of the estimated marine mammal takes.  Clean Ocean Action of which I am a board member then reviewed the EIS and  confirmed NRDC's numbers, while breaking down individual takes of each species. COA  really organized and energized the AC hearing and many of their affiliated groups presented testimony in opposition. Also Food and Water watch has been on the right side of many fishery issues and  presented testimoney along with Surfriders, and NJ sierra club.  Although NRDC is not anywhere near or dear to me, at least they have moral standards that they are abiding by,  and are not toeing the pew line for the money.  I can respect that.  Jim

Author: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Gulf of Mexico OCS Region

 http://www.savingseafood.org/images/boem-2012-005-vol1.pdf

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Blasts shake up fishermen. Seismic blasts in search of oil would likely affect marine life in area

CLEAN OCEAN ACTION ASKS FOR PUBLIC SUPPORT

FISHERMEN CALL FOUL

OTHERS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED BY SEISMIC BLASTS SPEAK OUT

SEISMIC BLASTS ARE PART OF THE PRESIDENT’S PLAN

WHAT COMES NEXT

A VICTORY ALONG THE WAY TO PRESERVING THE OCEAN

http://www.gloucestertimes.com/local/x474407264/Lawmakers-see-NOAA-double-standard-in-mammal-killings/print

http://wobm.com/possibility-of-seismic-testing-upsets-nj-environmentalists/

http://starnewsgroup.com/weekly/2012/04.27.12/blasts_shake_04.27.12_63780.html#.T5sL2_uRLJ4.newsvine

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These are Jim Lovgrens remarks.

My name is James Lovgren and I am a commercial fishermen representing the Fishermans Dock Co-op of Point Pleasant, and the Garden State Seafood association. GSSA  represents hundreds of fishermen from New Jersey and some neighboring states plus various support industries.

Thank you for holding this hearing on an issue that is vitally important to the east Coast fishing industry.  Seismic testing is known to have devastating effects on the marine ecosystem and the sea life that my industry depends on for our livelihood’s.  It has the potential to cause huge financial loses on an industry struggling to meet government imposed stock rebuilding targets.  The fishing industry already has to deal with an overzealous NMFS, but at least they notify us when they are holding public hearings concerning matters that affect our livelihood’s. In this case BOEM has not made the slightest effort to contact fishermen, or their organizations,  docks, ect,  of what they are planning.  We simply do not exist in your world. I’m here to tell you we do, and we have enormous concerns about your proposed actions.  We will be submitting detailed written comments in the near future but for now, in my generously granted 3 minutes, I will touch on some of our major concerns.

          The most outrageous aspect of this seismic testing proposal is its impact on marine mammals. Your environmental impact statement  estimates up to 138, 612 Level A takes over an 8 year period starting in 2013.  This includes an estimated 10 critically endangered Northern Right Whales. Amazing.  NMFS has held the fishing industry to what amounts to a zero tolerance of marine mammal  takes in many fisheries, and caused the loss of hundreds of millions of dollars to the fishing industry and its supporting infrastructure in the last decade. In the last two weeks NMFS has announced a two month closure of the Gill net fisheries in the Gulf Of Maine due to Porpoise interactions, and a coming massive closure of 40 different gill net fisheries due to atlantic Sturgeon interactions.  Yet your department, and the oil industry that runs you, can cavalierly nuke every whale, Dolphin, and endangered species, on the east coast into oblivion and no one cares. We want an answer to this seemingly contradictory action by two different departments of our government. Why can big oil kill anything they want but the poor little fishermen, gets crucified if he looks crossed eyed at a whale or dolphin?  Scoreboard shows; Big Oil,  38, 637 marine mammals a year.  Fishing industry zero.  I know some Congressmen and Senators who are going to be a little bit upset by this seeming double standard.

Level B takes, which are not as serious but could still result in eventual death as these now deaf dumb and blind creatures stumble around disoriented in a shell shocked stupor is an astounding 13, 586, 251 marine mammals over the 8 year period.  Has NOAA leadership seen these numbers? Because if they have and they do nothing about it, someone should go to jail.

          Seismic testing around the world has been controversial everywhere it has taken place. Unfortunately definitive data proving ecological harm is  scarce as little research has been done to monitor and document its effects. Presently seismic testing is being done off the coast of Peru by a US company, that has assured the Peruvian government that seismic testing has no impact on the marine environment. Curiously within weeks of the start of testing hundreds of dead dolphins started washing up on the beaches, hundreds more were observed at sea. It must have been some renegade fishermen and their walls of death.

But enough about mammals, Australian  fishermen have watched as their scallop beds have died a few months after seismic testing took place. It seems the testing weakened their immune system and they then succumbed to disease.  The scallop industry in the Mid Atlantic is the largest and most profitable in the region with an  annual dockside value in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Economic multipliers taking into account the cost of the scallop from the sea to the dinner plate is over a billion annually.

          70 percent of the summer flounder quota  is allocated to the states from NJ to North Carolina. This ranges from 6 to 12 million pounds a year, 10 to 20 million dollars annually. Loligo and Illexx squid are major fisheries in the mid atlantic, with annual landings of 20 to 50 million pounds each. Squid have been shown to be affected by high frequency sound waves,  and suffer disorientation, sensory problems and susceptibility to predation because of them.  These are just a few of the fish species that fishermen will come knocking on your door seeking just compensation for. How about Bluefin tuna, red snapper, striped bass, weakfish, sea bass, surf clams, quahogs, grouper, mackerel, herring ect…  Research has also shown that fish eggs and larvae are also detrimentally impacted by seismic testing. 

Someone needs to explain how after 20 years of suffering from reduced catches due to government imposed regulations to restore our fish stocks, another government agency can come along and ruin our sacrifices in an instant.  I sure hope you indemnify this project with a ton of money, you’re going to need it. And I  haven’t  even mentioned the potential impacts on the recreational sector. Just double the number and you’re  in the ballpark.

I would be remiss if I didn’t question why we even need to do this testing, There is an estimated 60 day supply of oil on the whole of the east coast, and that is estimated to be able to reduce the price of gas by 3 cents in 20 years. Goldman Sachs will guarantee we never see a penny of that difference. Lastly there has to be a better less environmentally destructive way of  searching for oil and gas deposits then air gun testing.  Think about this, if I were to light off an M80  explosive in this building every 10 seconds you would all run as quickly away as you can, possibly with hearing damage, and I would be arrested.  Air gun testing is equivalent to that example, only many of the sea creatures cannot run away and predictably will die.  The few survivors will probably die in a few years from an oil spill. There has to be a better way.