Greenville Reporter

Congressman Greg Murphy expressed satisfaction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) decision to withdraw its proposed amendment to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule.

Murphy stated, "For over two years, I fought vigorously against the Biden Administration’s unscientific and ridiculously burdensome North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule. With their statement of retraction, I welcome its long overdue withdrawal." He criticized the administration for pushing the rule despite evidence that targeted vessels were not responsible for right whale deaths.

He further commented on the implications for local communities: "Eastern North Carolina understands the importance of being good stewards of our environment while utilizing our God-given resources to help grow our economy and provide for our families. This is a tremendous victory for our fishermen, boaters, and countless businesses in our coastal economy who would have been devastated if this rule went into effect."

The withdrawn amendment aimed to expand compliance with 10-knot speed restrictions in Seasonal Management Areas. This change would have resulted in an additional 121,061 transit hours annually across the Eastern Seaboard. The economic impact was projected to affect nearly 16,000 vessels, 810,000 jobs, and $230 billion in economic activity.