{"id":256523,"date":"2023-05-08T08:23:27","date_gmt":"2023-05-08T06:23:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=256523"},"modified":"2023-05-08T08:23:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-08T06:23:29","slug":"cfacts-rucker-invited-to-testify-to-nj-senate-gop-hearing-on-whale-deaths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=256523","title":{"rendered":"CFACT\u2019s Rucker invited to testify to NJ Senate GOP hearing on whale deaths"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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From\u00a0CFACT<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By\u00a0CFACT Ed<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

CFACT\u2019s president and co-founder, Craig Rucker, was invited to testify to a hearing hosted by the New Jersey state Senate Republicans investigating the reasons behind the increase in whale and dolphin deaths along the Jersey Shore. This comes after CFACT\u2019s coalition efforts<\/a> to bring awareness to whale deaths via a plane banner and billboard near Atlantic City brought significant media and government attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The full hearing can be seen here, and Rucker\u2019s testimony begins at the 1:07:00 mark.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many New Jersey residents are very concerned about the deaths of the whales and dolphins. Various experts were called upon to give their piece of advice regarding the issue, including CFACT\u2019s president. Rucker focused on the faulty scientific arguments Biden\u2019s wind power plan is based on regarding climate change, which Rucker explained haven\u2019t changed much since the global warming narrative first appeared decades ago, then explained the very obvious impact the loud acoustic testing for setting the bases of the turbines has on the mammals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s our contention that the reckless net zero energy policies that are currently being pursued by the Biden Administration as well as certain governors and agencies at both the national and state level are doing irreparable harm to our natural world, and they should be halted until further research be undertaken to assess their impacts,\u201d Rucker said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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CFACT\u2019s Craig Rucker speaks during the virtual hearing (top right) while Senator Testa takes notes (top left), fellow panelist Bob Stern (bottom left) listens in, and Senate GOP official Brad Schnure (bottom right) moderates.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPresident Biden, like his predecessor Barack Obama, has made clear he believes a climate crisis is an \u2018existential threat\u2019 to the planet. He\u2019s undertaken what he calls a \u2018whole of government approach\u2019 to tackling it. Now, my organization CFACT has participated as a recognized NGO at virtually every major United Nations climate gathering since the 1990s. And full disclosure, we would dispute the President\u2019s assertions of doom and gloom and the urgency to act with reckless abandon, in pursuing so-called \u2018green energy,\u2019 such as offshore wind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rucker went on to explain that the sound level of the acoustic testing and drilling needed to install the offshore wind turbines is very similar to that used by the Navy, which has already been determined to cause damage and harm to marine mammals that depend on sound and sonar to communicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe decibel level of the sonar testing for the offshore wind, where you are at [New Jersey], is not far removed from that which the Navy used, often reaching near 200 decibels. The monopile driving to place the wind turbines into the ground can also reach that level or higher as well as the operational sound of giant wind turbines once they\u2019re up and running according to our research. This presents a clear and present danger to all whale species, especially the Right Whale, of which there are only about 350 or so that remain in the wild.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senator Michael Testa had a question for both Rucker and other panelists regarding the greenhouse gas impact of the projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave you seen\u2026any studies of how much of a positive impact this project would have in the elimination of greenhouse gases,\u201d Senator Testa asked. \u201cI\u2019ve been given a lot of information from constituents and from other concerned citizens that are not within my legislative district that they\u2019ve seen studies that say the ultimate positive impact that this project would have if fully built out is actually zero.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018We are looking into that issue, we have a project called the \u2018Net Zero Reality Coalition\u2019 which is actually formed for that purpose to look at what projects like this are doing,\u201d Rucker said. \u201cWe have\u2019t derived an answer for this specific project as of yet, however, it is a contention of the scientists and researchers we have on that, that actually it might increase green house gases\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is CFACT\u2019s hope that this is the first of several hearings covering this important issue to bring media and government attention to the plight of not just the whales, but of ratepayers and fishermen as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several prominent media hits mentioned the hearing, including the Associated Press<\/a>, The Press of Atlantic City<\/a><\/em>, the New Jersey Globe<\/a>,<\/em> and NJ 101.5 online<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Should additional hearings be scheduled, CFACT will be happy to participate and post the updates here to cfact.org for evaluation and debate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, CFACT will do everything it can to bring awareness to the issue through activism, media hits, and of course, if necessary, legal action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author<\/h2>\n\n\n\n