NJ might get bumped off Trump offshore drilling plans

The waters off New Jersey might be removed from Trump administration plans to pursue oil and gas drilling in places where it’s been banned for decades, two Republican congressmen from Jersey Shore districts said after a meeting with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke.

Reps. Chris Smith and Tom MacArthur, both R-N.J., said Zinke indicated in the Tuesday meeting that drilling exploration off New Jersey may not be a priority for the administration, and that those waters could be formally removed from consideration, pending a formal process.

"We may have dodged a major bullet," Smith said in a telephone interview.

More: NJ death penalty: These GOP lawmakers want to bring it back

More: NJ school funding: Is Asbury Park’s school chief Lamont Repollet the best pick to lead NJ?

Florida was the first state to win a carve out exemption from the 2019-2024 National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program.

Smith and MacArthur – who were joined by two other Republican congressmen from New Jersey, Leonard Lance and Frank LoBiondo – said they made the case that drilling activity could lead to oil spills that will harm marine life, the state's coastal economy and Shore residents' quality of life.

"We made it clear we want to be off the drilling list, and we came away with a clear sense he understands our position," MacArthur said. "I’d be surprised at this point if we weren't excluded. He’s going to do his process to make final plans, but I think this was a game-changer for us."

More: NJ is united against offshore drilling, but will it matter?

More: Permits could open search for oil off Atlantic Coast

A spokeswoman for Zinke said, "The secretary was happy to meet with coastal state representatives today to discuss the proposed offshore plan,'' and that Zinke "looks forward to meeting with more governors and other coastal representatives who want to discuss the draft program."

Watch the video at the top of the page to see when Zinke announce the preliminary plans.

"At this time, we have nothing more to announce," the spokeswoman, Heather Swift, said of any determinations regarding New Jersey.

Still, Smith said, "I think for all practical purposes we won’t be seeing oil drilling off the coast of New Jersey."

New Jersey's political leaders, both Republican and Democrat, have campaigned against attempts to issue oil and gas leases in the mid-Atlantic before, including when the Obama Administration raised the possibility in 2015.

The American Petroleum Institute, which represents the oil industry's viewpoint, argues that offshore drilling is an opportunity with "remarkable benefits for job creation, U.S. energy security, domestic investment and revenue to the government."

Bob Jordan bjordan@gannettnj.com