House votes to delay North Atlantic right whale protections NJ Spotlight News

The U.S. House voted Tuesday to delay new federal protections for the endangered North Atlantic right whale, shifting a looming NOAA deadline to 2035 instead of 2028. The measure passed 219–196 and moves to the Senate, where it would need 60 “yes” votes to overcome a Democratic filibuster. The bill targets regulations meant to protect whales from lobster and crab fishing gear. The action follows an earlier NOAA decision in the final days of the Biden administration to abandon a speed-restriction proposal; critics called it broad, while industry groups praised the withdrawal. Support for the new delay came from New Jersey Republicans Jeff Van Drew, Chris Smith, and Tom Kean Jr., while every New Jersey Democrat voted no. The right whale population is estimated at about 380 individuals, with around 70 females of reproductive age.