Spadea — Let’s Get Past the #FakeNews About Offshore Drilling

It is time to drill off the Jersey coast. Safe, clean and what you’re using every day. You've heard all the objections...what if the drill leaks? Think about the fish, will somebody please think about the fish? It's nonsense.

First of all, after doing some research and understanding the type of drilling that could bring an enormous economic benefit to our state I realized that the "sky is falling" approach to oil and gas is far from accurate. Turns out that one of the safest and cleanest ways to extract oil and gas from the ocean floor is from shallow water drills. These are drills set in water less than 500 feet deep.

Through a fifteen year period tracking 11, 070 wells only fifteen barrels of oil spilled. That's right, fifteen barrels total in fifteen years. And ten of those barrels were in one spill. Looking at the numbers, you could argue that this is a near perfect extraction method. So from a safety perspective and keeping in line with energy that is environmentally friendly shallow water drilling scores big.

By contrast, the over subsidized, yet much heralded, wind turbine doesn't score so well. Beyond the low capacity factor for energy production from wind compared to nuclear and natural gas and coal there's the damage that can be caused to the local marine life, and that's when they're running properly!

Then there's the job creation, economic growth, and government revenue side. On all fronts, offshore drilling is a must. We live in a state where the appetite for government spending far outweighs the revenue collection. For decades, politicians have been misleading us on revenue numbers collecting less than they spend forcing borrowing, growing debt and unpaid bills. The incoming governor has a plan to legalize marijuana and tax millionaires but he's not only hit a roadblock from his own party on both fronts, the revenue projections will be far less than he expects if other state programs are any guide.

Perhaps the biggest issue that should satisfy the polls in Trenton if they can accept reality instead of continuing to pander to the hysterical, radical opposition is the billions in revenue. States up and down the east coast are poised to take advantage of the Trump Administration's relaxing of the regulations and NJ will be left far behind of we don't act quickly and responsibly. The tax revenue could be in the billions maybe even 10 to 20 times what is projected in the "Murphy Pot fantasy".

Safe, reliable, and used every day. Jobs, revenue and economic prosperity all await if we can muster to courage to educate people instead of cowering in fear from the anti-progress lobby like the Sierra Club and their shills. The Jersey Shore will not only be better for it, those of us paying the bills in NJ might be able to spend a little more on the boardwalk in years to come.

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