Trump takes another step to allow oil drilling in Atlantic Ocean

Source: New Jersey

WASHINGTON -- President Donald Trump's administration on Monday took another step toward allowing oil drilling in the Atlantic Ocean, proposing to approve five requests for seismic testing in the area.

Such permits are required before the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management gives the green light for such testing, which is conducted to find oil and gas deposits on the ocean floor. The tests involve airgun blasting and can harm marine life.

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Pallone and U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) have introduced legislation to permanently ban oil drilling in the Atlantic.

Opponents say the proposal could risk a New Jersey tourism industry generating $43 billion annually and supporting 500,000 jobs, and a fishing industry adding $7.9 billion a year to the state's economy and creating more than 50,000 jobs.

Read more: http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/06/trump_takes_another_step_toward_atlantic_oil_drill.html