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Impacts of Ocean AcidificationOn Thursday, April 22, 2010 , Senator Lautenberg delivered the following statement at a hearing of the Commerce Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries and Coast Guard. The hearing focused on the effects of ocean acidification on marine ecosystems and coastal economies. "Our oceans cover 70 percent of the Earth's surface. In my home state of New Jersey, though small in size, we have 127 miles of shoreline -- and we are extremely dependent on our coast to energize our economy, create jobs and support families. In fact, our coast is a 50 billion dollar-a-year economic powerhouse that is responsible for one out of every six jobs in the state of New Jersey. Whether it is fishermen, hotel workers or shop owners, our state depends on this natural resource -- and so does our country. Our oceans generate more income for the U.S. economy than the entire agricultural sector. Despite that, our oceans are under assault. Water pollution, climate change and offshore drilling all pose a severe danger to their future. But it doesn't end there. Ocean acidification is a problem that is intensifying. About one-third of all carbon dioxide pollution we release into the air is absorbed by the earth's oceans, making the oceans more acidic. This increase in acidity threatens to decimate entire species including those that are at the foundation of the marine food chain. If that occurs, the consequences are devastating. When I look at my grandchildren, and that's my motivator, and I think about what life might be like in 20 or 30 years, it's not a pleasant prospect. And I'm going to do whatever I can to fight against it. Imagine what the collapse of the food chain would mean to commercial fishing, tourism and coastal communities. That's why I wrote the Federal Ocean Acidification Research and Monitoring Act, which became law last year and coordinates all federal research on this serious threat. Sigourney [Weaver], your help meant something in getting that law passed and I am deeply grateful to you. We all should be. The President's budget funds this new law for the first time and includes more than 11 million dollars to assess the effects of ocean acidification. While that is a good start -- I have questions about whether it is enough. Now, even as we zero in on the effects of ocean acidification -- we also have to address the causes. We cannot sit on our hands while carbon pollution continues to spew from trucks, cars and power plants. That's why we need to pass an effective climate change bill that will cut global-warming pollution and spark a new clean-energy economy. Putting limits on carbon pollution will not only protect our vibrant coastal economies, it will also create manufacturing jobs, clean up the air our children breathe and reduce our dependence on dirty, unsafe fuels." # # #
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