Opponents of a plan to conduct climate change research by blasting the ocean floor with sound waves off the coast of New Jersey say the plan could harm or kill whales, dolphins and other marine life.
Environmentalists, fishing groups and elected officials are gathering on Long Beach Island Wednesday to oppose the plan by Rutgers University, University of Texas, and the National Science Foundation for research on sediments deposited on the ocean floor by changing global sea levels dating back 60 million years.
Cindy Zipf, executive director of Clean Ocean Action, says a research ship will blast the ocean floor with incredibly loud sound waves every five seconds for 30 days.
The federal government issued a permit Tuesday allowing marine animals to be disturbed as part of the research.
