June 9, 2010
  | POLISTINA AND AMODEO: WHILE OBAMA |
Calling President Obama’s handling of the BP oil disaster a disgrace, Assembly Republican members Vince Polistina and John Amodeo today praised the Christie administration’s quick call to action in putting in place a special team to consider the possible impacts the spill may have on New Jersey’s coastline.
The Atlantic County legislators said President Obama’s failure to take action as millions of gallons of crude oil continue to gush into the Gulf of Mexico is the “epitome of incompetency.”
“When President Obama isn’t standing idly by like a spectator at a sporting event, playing basketball or going on vacation, he’s pointing the finger of blame instead of working to solve the worst environmental disaster in our nation’s history,” said Polistina, R-Atlantic.
“We are now into week seven of this calamity and it is quite clear he has absolutely no idea how to handle the situation,” he continued. “We are no more closer to a solution today than we were when the oil began spewing into the Gulf on April 20. Thankfully, Governor Christie is taking no chances and has a plan to protect New Jersey’s shoreline.”
The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) recently announced the formation of a special Gulf Spill Team to develop a plan of action to deal with the possibility the oil could impact New Jersey. The team is comprised of officials from the DEP, State Police, State Emergency Management, New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and other experts and scientists. Though part of the spill has entered the Loop Current and the oil slick is now just a few miles from the beaches of Florida’s Panhandle, such an impact in New Jersey is not likely.
However, with Shore tourism a multi-billion dollar business, Amodeo said the Christie administration wanted to make sure the State is ready just in case.
“It’s much better policy to be proactive than reactive,” said Amodeo, R-Atlantic. “New Jersey has 127 miles of coastline that could potentially be affected. President Obama has done and continues to do nothing as this massive oil slick destroys the nation’s southern coastline. His apathetic attitude and lack of leadership is disturbing and frightening.
“Unlike President Obama, who has stuck his head in the sand hoping this problem will just go away, it’s comforting to know we have a leader in New Jersey like Governor Christie who isn’t afraid to tackle the problem head-on,” he stated. “I commend the governor for his quick response to what could be a catastrophic event for our state.”
