KNOCK KNOCK…who’s there? Not Clean Ocean Action! (COA)
COA does not go door-to-door. We do not solicit funds or signatures, or distribute information through canvassing. If you have questions or concerns, COA suggests contacting your town administrator. Please further note that Clean Ocean Action has no financial affiliation with the organization called Clean Water Action (formerly known as NJ Environmental Federation) or any other canvassing organization.
New Jersey's Plastic Reduction Bill Passes Senate but Fails in Assembly
Monday, January 13 New Jersey’s Senate voted to pass state-wide plastic reduction legislation (S. 2776 & A.3440) with 21 voting yes, 14 no, and 5 abstaining. Unfortunately the momentum the bill gained in the Senate was soon overshadowed by the Assemblies failure to vote.
The proposed legislation that would have targeted single-use plastic items that plague our beaches and oceans and harm marine life including single-use plastic straws, shopping bags, and Styrofoam food containers was not posted for vote by Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin.
NESE Update
Temporary Reprieve from the NESE Nightmare!
Williams/Transco have withdrawn all seven of its permit applications which were pending before the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for the unnecessary and environmentally destructive NESE Pipeline! This means there are no active permits before the NJDEP related to the pipeline. Following the withdrawal, the NJDEP cautioned that if the company were to reapply, which they have done in the past, there are several significant legal deficiencies and hurdles the company must resolve to meet the Departments environmental regulations. Clean Ocean Action commends the NJDEP for highlighting the numerous environmental harms the project would result in.
We are currently evaluating the impact the withdrawal has on the pending application before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for ocean disposal of the dredged material from the project into the HARS.
NESE's Ocean Dumping Permit Looms:
Still Time to Comment
At the federal level, COA is evaluating the impact the Williams/Transco’s permit withdrawal has on the pending application before the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) for ocean disposal of nearly 1 million tons of dredged material. In the meantime, thanks to letters from Senators Menendez and Booker, Representative Pallone, and COA, among others, the USACE has agreed to extend the public comment period for the ocean disposal application by Williams/Transco for the NESE Pipeline until January 17, 2020. Email comments to Naomi.J.Handell@usace.army.mil.
National Geographic Features Clean Ocean Action!
COA is thrilled to share National Geographic's latest Planet or Plastic feature which focuses on cigarette pollution! It highlights Clean Ocean Action and the Beach Sweep program, and seeks to challenge the social norm of littering cigarette filters. In 2018 Beach Sweeps volunteers collected an astonishing 21,998 cigarette filters from beaches and shorelines throughout New Jersey in just six hours. Cigarette butts are the last unacceptable form of “acceptable” litter, but we all have the power to change this social norm. No butts about it – use an ashtray!
Watch the video: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/08/cigarettes-story-of-plastic/
Read the article: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2019/08/cigarettes-story-of-plastic/
Do your part to consciously eliminate cigarette and single-use plastic pollution at the source by taking part in National Geographic’s Planet or Plastic pledge and learn more of what you can do by reading COA’s 10 Tips for Smokers!
National Geographic's Plastic Reduction Pledge: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/plasticpledge/
New Jersey Towns Continue to Eliminate Single-Use Plastics!
Madison Township, Chatham Township, Chatham Borough, and Haworth, are among the most recent New Jersey towns to join a long list of over 45 local ordinances aimed at addressing single-use plastic items.
Click the links to see COA's model ordinances for banning single-use plastic straws, bags, polystyrene (Styrofoam) foam food containers, and utensils.
Clean Ocean Action is honored that Executive Director, Cindy Zipf, is the featured cover story of Community Magazine’s July 2019 issue!
Check out the story, “The Ocean’s Voice,” including beachy fun facts and great photos by Carmela Caracappa!
COA Garners a Near Perfect Score and Top 10 Status!
Great news! Not only is COA maintaining a 4-Star rating at Charity Navigator for the 5th consecutive rating, but our number was just increased to a 99.87 out of 100!! Last year’s score was 92.82.
Only 13% of all the charities reviewed by Charity Navigator (which includes over 9,100 organizations) achieve 5 consecutive ratings of 4 Stars! In fact, Clean Ocean Action is within the TOP 10 environmental groups in the nation.
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