Republicans will hold their own hearing today on whale deaths

Senate Republicans will hold their own hearing this morning to hear testimony over the rise in deaths of whales and dolphins along the Jersey Shore since late last year and a potential but not yet substantiated claim that the morbidity rate is connected to the development of offshore wind farms.

Senate Minority Whip Anthony M. Bucco (R-Boonton) will chair the panel, which includes State Sens. Declan O’Scanlon (R-Little Silver), Vince Polistina (R-Egg Harbor Township), and Michael Testa (R-Vineland).

Advocacy groups, local elected officials, and businesses that mammal deaths have impacted have also been invited to attend.

The hearing will begin at 9:45 A and will be livestreamed from the Senate Republican Facebook page.  Click HERE to watch.

The issue could potentially impact this year’s mid-term legislative elections and has already become partisan.

A proposal by State Sen. Joseph Pennacchio (R-Montville) to enact a 30-day moratorium on wind farm surveys until the whale and dolphin death have been fully investigated was rejected by Senate Democrats.

“You have to wonder if Governor Murphy is unwilling to accept a short moratorium because he’s hoping for the wind farm surveys to be completed by Memorial Day,” said Bucco. “It certainly won’t help our important shore tourism economy this summer if news reports continue of dead whales keep washing ashore when our beaches are packed with families on vacation.”