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APNewsBreak: NJ wants court to stop ocean research

By WTOP Staff

WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

BARNEGAT LIGHT, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey environmental officials will seek a court order blocking a plan to carry out seismic research by blasting the ocean floor with sound waves.

The state Department of Environmental Protection told the Associated Press the department will seek an injunction Thursday in federal court to block the plan, which opponents say could harm or kill whales, dolphins and other marine life.

Environmentalists, fishing groups and elected officials gathered on Long Beach Island Wednesday to oppose the plan by Rutgers University, the 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, which has led the fight against the proposal, said the approach of Tropical Storm Arthur, making its way up the East Cast this week, is a metaphorical warning against the plan.

“I have to think that the ocean is sending these people a message by brewing up a storm that’s going to rock that boat and show that the ocean is mad as hell about this,” she said. “This study will blast the ocean with sound waves that are orders of magnitude louder than anything humans have ever heard, every five seconds, 24 hours a day, for 30 days. To think that won’t cause profound harm to marine life and to the industries that depend on the ocean is outrageous and appalling.”

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration issued a permit Tuesday allowing marine animals to be disturbed as part of the research. The National Science Foundation still needs to issue a final environmental assessment and a decision document that addresses whether the research is authorized to go forward.

Connie Barclay, a spokeswoman for NOAA, said the agency acted after extensive scientific review of the plan, and adopted measures including larger zones where the research would be prohibited.

“Some of the mitigation measures include observers listening and watching for marine mammals, required shutdowns of the air gun array for North Atlantic right whales observed; passive acoustic monitoring to detect vocalizations from marine mammals beneath the ocean surface, and speed/course alterations to avoid marine mammals,” she wrote in an email to The Associated Press.

The study aims to investigate features such as river valleys cut into coastal plain sediments now buried under nearly 3,300 feet of younger sediment and flooded by today’s ocean. But some environmental groups also believe the research could be used to probe for undersea oil and gas deposits in the event drilling is opened off the New Jersey coast someday.

Kirk Larson, the mayor of Barnegat Light and a commercial scallop fisherman, said the seismic research will be carried out in prime fishing spots.

“Where they’re going to be doing this is right across the scallop beds, where we’ve been leaving them alone for the past three years and letting them grow,” he said. “What’s it going to do to their spawning? What’s it going to do to the food chain?”

He also noted an irony in strict federal regulations that require fishermen to avoid scooping turtles up in their nets.

“They make us bend over backward not to harm turtles,” he said. “And they let these groups just go out there and blast away.”

___

Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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