NMFS has issued the IHA to Rutgers et al:

[njdiver1]

This is the sort of nonsense and made-up science that permeates this business. Sound in air and sound in water are not referenced to the same scale See Underwater Acoustics - Navy Ships for the details. You need to add 62 dB to the in-air sound intensities to compare them to underwater sound intensities.

I have displayed my research and given resources to back them up. That the NJDEP and Governor chose not to is their decision.

Here is what you referenced in context to our discussion:

(Snip)

Seismic Exploration Devices 212-230 dB Includes vibroseis, sparker, gas sleeve, exploder, water gun and boomer seismic profiling methods. Johnston and Cain, 1981; Holiday et al., 1984.

(Snip)

Note: Except where noted, all the above are nominal total broadband power levels in 20-1000 Hz band. These are the levels that would be measured by a single hydrophone (reference 1 µPa @ 1 m) in the water.

(Snip)

Underwater Acoustics - Navy Ships


212-230 dB underwater = 150-168 dB in air. Check the site I reference below to see the potential damage if you get too close, per the formula you referenced.

Dangerous Decibels » How Loud is Too Loud?

Yet the Navy's research on Low Frequency Sonar and other research I have referenced indicate a safe Sound Pressure Level for sport divers at 145 dB re 1 µPa, calculated at 14 Kilometers from the source per the Director of the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory.

 

[tursiops]

I'll ignore your post since it is unrelated to my post, except for your second sentence. I agree: NJDEP is ignorant of the science.

 

[njdiver1]

I'll ignore your post since it is unrelated to my post, except for your second sentence. I agree: NJDEP is ignorant of the science.

You “ignore” your own reference? NJDEP is far from “ignorant of the science”, the Governor’s Office is calling the shots on the complaint.

 

[Raider Drake]

NJDEP is far from “ignorant of the science”, the Governor’s Office is calling the shots on the complaint.

NJ DEP is ignorant of the science. The shots are being called by Clean Ocean Action, and Governor Christie is doing this at her behest. And Bob Martin is eager for a chance to do something that seems to look good for the environment.

 

[njdiver1]

NJ DEP is ignorant of the science. The shots are being called by Clean Ocean Action, and Governor Christie is doing this at her behest. And Bob Martin is eager for a chance to do something that seems to look good for the environment.

If you think COA has that much influence in Trenton, the only word for you at this point is, naive.

 

[Raider Drake]

If you think COA has that much influence in Trenton, the only word for you at this point is, naive.

I do not know what her influence is, but she is responsible for getting Christie to go after the scientists. Part of this involved getting other groups mobilized, for which others have been willing accomplices. I might be naive, but it's very clear how this got on Christie's agenda.

 

[njdiver1]

With permission:

Posted by Captain Jim on 6/21/2015, 11:49 am, in reply to

Re: To Dive Boat Captains, Dive Shops and the Diving Community – Seismic Survey Info

We headed out to the Resor on Saturday. As we were tying in I heard the security call from the Marcus Langseth which is the ship that is doing the seismic surveying out of the Barnegat inlet.

According to their GPS position they were about 15 miles away from us. Not knowing their heading, I called them on the radio and found out that they were not going any closer to our location.

I gave the divers the heads up that there were doing the seismic blasting and that if they felt any discomfort to surface immediately. It was nice to see that no one returned to the boat and completed their dives.

After asking everyone on the boat if they heard any pinging, most of them reported that they did indeed heard the pinging which sounded more like the drumming of a large container ship. One diver said they could feel the sound wave bounce off of the wreck.

So as long as the Marcus Langseth stays in the area they are supposed to, it should not pose divers much trouble. We just need to make sure we do not get our divers to close to their operations.

---

DSAO,
Captain Jim Wilson

NJ Scuba Divers Message Board: Re: To Dive Boat Captains, Dive Shops and the Diving Community – Seismic Survey Info

 

[Raider Drake]

Always interesting to read your updates, Glenn Arthur. Some of it has been very informative, and, no doubt helping the diving community stay up to date. Clean Ocean Action has succeeded in a number of political coups. The "coalition" has got Pine Barrens killer, Senate head Steve Sweeney to go against Rutgers, COA got my otherwise favorite senator to gnaw at NOAA's Kathryn Sullivan at an inappropriate time. Pallone has been speaking against Rutgers every time Cindy Zipf calls him. Cindy Zipf embraces Christie at a press conference, and a few days later Bob Martin of the NJ DEP launches a meaningless but humiliating law suit. And you keep everyone updated. I don't know how it is you think that COA is not an immensely powerful organization that it is so able to mislead politicians. Thank you again for posting Capt Wilson's post.

 

[njdiver1]

Hi ....,

The project reached its successful completion this morning on schedule and ship is returning to port today. I wanted to thank you for all of your assistance and cooperation.

Regards,
Sean

******************************
Sean Higgins, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Marine Operations
Sr. Research Scientist
L-DEO /Columbia University
61 Rt. 9W
Palisades, NY 10964

 

[tursiops]

Hi ....,

The project reached its successful completion this morning on schedule and ship is returning to port today. I wanted to thank you for all of your assistance and cooperation.

Regards,
Sean

******************************
Sean Higgins, Ph.D.
Director, Office of Marine Operations
Sr. Research Scientist
L-DEO /Columbia University
61 Rt. 9W
Palisades, NY 10964

Excellent! The sky did not fall.