Cape May County Herald.com
March 15, 2017
COLUMBIA, SC – The Business Alliance for Protecting the Atlantic Coast (BAPAC) recently elected its board of directors and officers with a New Jersey business leader as the chair. BAPAC is leading the business opposition to drilling and seismic testing for oil and gas off the Atlantic Coast.
Vicki Clark, president and CEO of the Cape May County Chamber of Commerce, is BAPAC’s first Chairman for the new nonprofit. She and her chamber are founding members of BAPAC which was first informally organized last September in response to the imminent threat of seismic testing permits being issued by the Obama Administration. BAPAC was successful in having all those permits denied.
“The Atlantic Coast needs an organization like BAPAC to advocate for the continuous protection of our coast, the quality of life of those living along the coast, and the tourism and fishing industries depending on a clean and healthy coastline,” said Vicki Clark.
BAPAC’s previous petitions against offshore drilling and seismic testing secured signatures representing over 35,000 businesses and 500,000 commercial fishing families.
“BAPAC is now proactively educating policymakers at the local, state and national levels about the serious threat testing and drilling for offshore oil poses to our vibrant Atlantic Coast tourism, recreation and commercial fishing economies,” said Frank Knapp Jr., BAPAC’s new president and CEO. “We are reaching out to individual businesses and business organizations to join us in our mission to ensure the long term health and economic vitality of the Atlantic seaboard through responsible stewardship of the coastal and ocean waters.”