|
Long Branch, NJ --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) today said he opposed plans by the Atlantic Sea Island Group to build an artificial island off the coast of Sea Bright to import liquefied natural gas (LNG).
"Over the past two decades, we've made great strides in closing the offshore dumpsites and cleaning up the ocean off Monmouth County," Pallone said. "That's why I find it disturbing that some company wants to come in and take a big step backwards by creating a huge artificial island to hold industrial facilities."
Atlantic Sea Island Group, a New York City-based investment group, has announced plans to build an artificial island 19 miles off the coast of Monmouth County for the purposes of installing a LNG terminal. The island could be as large as 65 acres and would be used for offloading, storing and processing LNG.
"New Jersey's ocean and coastline work as a huge economic engine for the state because we have clean beaches and clean water," Pallone continued. "What happens to that engine when there is an accident at this facility and the consequences wash up on our shores?"
Pallone will soon introduce legislation that would designate a clean ocean zone off the coasts of New Jersey and New York. The legislation will codify into law numerous ocean protections created over the last two decades, including permanent closure of ocean dumpsites; a ban on sand and gravel mining; a ban on new sources of ocean pollution; capping of the historic area remediation site six miles off the coast of New Jersey; and a prohibition on the installation of oil and gas facilities--including the proposed artificial island.
"It's time for our laws to reflect what the people of New Jersey want, which is a clean ocean and coastline," Pallone concluded. |
