Environment

LONG BRANCH, NJ — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement in response to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration approval of the Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) for seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic Ocean conducted by Rutgers University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. The authorization allows for the behavioral harassment of marine mammals by sound during the seismic survey.

WASHINGTON, DC — Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) announced that the Army Corps of Engineers has awarded a $1.79 million contract to H&L Contracting LLC to dredge the Shrewsbury River which runs through Monmouth County, New Jersey. The project will entail removing 60,000 cubic yards of sand in order to keep the Shrewsbury River channel navigable. The contractor will place the dredged sand onto the oceanside beach in the Borough of Monmouth Beach.

Deal Lake Flume Also Discussed at Follow-up Meeting with Fishermen

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) introduced legislation, the Microbead-Free Waters Act of 2014, that would prohibit the sale or distribution of personal care products that contain synthetic plastic microbeads. These small bits of plastic, used as exfoliants in personal care products like face wash, soap, and toothpaste, can slip through water treatment systems after they are washed down the drain. As a result, these microbeads often end up in local streams, rivers and larger bodies of water.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, released the following statement today upon an announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of a proposal to reduce greenhouse gas emission from U.S. power plants by 30 percent from 2005 levels by 2030:

WASHINGTON, DC — Upon discussions with key agencies and officials Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) voiced his concern today that the decision to cut the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Region 2 aerial helicopter coastal monitoring program could undermine the success of the multi-agency New York Bight Floatables Action Plan.

“Every agency plays an important and distinctive role in this plan, and if EPA walks away from the table I fear it could have serious environmental impacts on the Jersey Shore economy,” Pallone said.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) and members of the New Jersey Congressional Delegation sent a joint letter to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Gina McCarthy, asking that the agency’s Region 2 aerial helicopter monitoring program be saved from impending budget cuts. Each year from Memorial Day to Labor Day, EPA’s “Coastal Crusader” monitors the waters along the Atlantic Coast for debris, such as trash, oil slicks and algal blooms known as floatables.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) called on the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA), Gina McCarthy, to restore funding for EPA’s Region 2 helicopter monitoring program. Each year from Memorial Day to Labor Day, EPA’s “Coastal Crusader” monitors the waters along the Atlantic Coast for debris, such as trash, oil slicks and algal blooms known as floatables.