LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J. — August 11, 2014 — A seismic research project off the coast of Long Beach Island that environmentalists have criticized has been postponed until next summer because of mechanical failures over the past month.
Researchers decided to put off the project after failures within a generator and a winch on the research vessel, said Gregory Mountain, a Rutgers professor leading the project. The project was aimed at studying sea level rise and to be conducted by researchers from Rutgers University and the University of Texas.
The project has faced steep opposition from groups throughout the state who thought it would harm marine wildlife and disturb the commercial fishing economy. The state Department of Environmental Protection argued that it would “adversely impact New Jersey’s vital tourism and fishing industries, and harm fish and marine mammals.”
But last month, the 3rd Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals rejected the state’s request to block seismic testing, allowing the researchers’ project to move forward.
The postponement, opponents of the research said, is a temporary reprieve for marine life off the coast of Long Beach Island.
Read the full story at The Daily Journal