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Last Updated 2/20/19
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BREAKING: Motion For Preliminary Injunction Filed By Organizations To Prevent Seismic Airgun Surveys In The Atlantic
ACT has just learned that a preliminary injunction was filed in a federal Charleston, SC court on February 20th in an effort to keep seismic survey exploration from taking place in the Atlantic. Numerous organizations up and down the east coast have joined a court order against the current administration, pointing to a violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. This comes as result of the National Marine Fisheries Services' decision to issue 5 Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) to seismic survey companies in November, 2018. These IHAs give those seismic survey companies the green light to harm marine mammals during oil and gas explorations and is the last step before final permits are issued and oil and gas exploration begins. A press release issued by Oceana today (February, 20 2019) describes the court order and highlights that the government "failed to consider the combined effects of overlapping and simultaneous surveys" and "erroneously determined that only a 'small number' of whales and dolphins would be harmed" when the IHA's were issued. Read the full press release HERE.
We encourage you to continue to monitor this latest move, and visit Oceana's Three Things You Can Do To Stop Dangerous Seismic Airgun Blasting.
Despite Government Shutdown, BOEM Updates Contingency Plan To Continue Work On Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program and Seismic Exploration
| _boem_director_walter_cruickshank_statements.pdf |
| federal_defendants_statements.pdf |
ACT recently received the latest updates on the Outer Continental Shelf Leasing Program and the seismic exploration activities associated with oil and gas development in the Atlantic. The information below was gathered from the United States District Court For The District of South Carolina Charleston Division in the case of City of Beaufort, et al., (plaintiffs) vs. the National Marine Fisheries Service, et al. (defendants) filed January 17, 2019.
Despite the current government shutdown, and a statement made on January 15th by the Department of the Interior indicating that they "would not be acting on pending permit applications for the seismic survey activity at issue in this case until funding is restored," we now know that BOEM updated their Contingency Plan on January 8th. The latest Contingency Plan "identified that certain available carryover funds could be
used for specified purposes during the lapse of appropriations, including several pending Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Program actions." Further, the updated plan now allows BOEM to call on 40 personnel to continue work on activities pertinent to the OCS program, including work necessary to review applications and issue permits for seismic exploration.
On Thursday, January 17th, BOEM Director Walter Cruickshank stated that a decision to issue final permits for seismic exploration in the Atlantic will not be made until at least March 1, 2019. Should permits be issued, a 30 day notice will be required.
used for specified purposes during the lapse of appropriations, including several pending Outer
Continental Shelf (OCS) Program actions." Further, the updated plan now allows BOEM to call on 40 personnel to continue work on activities pertinent to the OCS program, including work necessary to review applications and issue permits for seismic exploration.
On Thursday, January 17th, BOEM Director Walter Cruickshank stated that a decision to issue final permits for seismic exploration in the Atlantic will not be made until at least March 1, 2019. Should permits be issued, a 30 day notice will be required.
The proposed oil and gas leasing program is also at a stand still due to the government shutdown. Once the shutdown ends, and the leasing program is finalized, a 90 day public comment period will open. This will signal our last opportunity to voice opposition to oil and gas drilling in the Atlantic. Be ready!
Last updated: 12/21/18
In a letter sent to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke on December 20th, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan and Delaware Governor John Carney joined a growing list of those urging the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Commerce to 1. deny permits that would allow seismic airgun testing in the Atlantic 2. exclude the east coast from the 2019-2024 proposed program that would open areas of the Atlantic to oil development, 3. stop issuing Incidental Harassment Authorizations to seismic survey companies, and 4. prevent future drilling operation from occurring in the Atlantic. To see the letter view the pdf document below:
| east-coast-governors-letter-to-sec-ross-sec-zinke-20181220.pdf |
The statements below come from Delaware Governor John Carney...
"Drilling in the Atlantic would pose significant threats to Delaware’s natural resources and our economy."
"There’s too much at risk for Delaware and the Atlantic Seaboard to allow this to go unchallenged.”
The statements below come from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan...
"We have made incredible progress in improving our air and water quality standards, and we are not going to let misguided policies from the federal government jeopardize our hard work. Maryland will continue to fight against this sort of federal government overreach that threatens our natural resources and coastal communities.”
"Drilling in the Atlantic would pose significant threats to Delaware’s natural resources and our economy."
"There’s too much at risk for Delaware and the Atlantic Seaboard to allow this to go unchallenged.”
The statements below come from Maryland Governor Larry Hogan...
"We have made incredible progress in improving our air and water quality standards, and we are not going to let misguided policies from the federal government jeopardize our hard work. Maryland will continue to fight against this sort of federal government overreach that threatens our natural resources and coastal communities.”
Click HERE to tell the Dept. Of Interior: No Drilling Off Delaware's Coast
Last Update: 12/19/18
The National Marine Fisheries Service issuance of 5 Incidental Harassment Authorizations on November 20, 2018 is the first step of two before seismic surveying begins in the Atlantic. The next step in the process is for BOEM to issue final permits, which is anticipated to take place before or shortly after the first of the year. The seismic surveying opposition is now, primarily, taking place in the courts, so ACT is encouraging coastal communities to pressure congress and governors to voice opposition toward seismic operations in the Atlantic.
We are also expecting the release of the proposed 5 year program before or shortly after the first of the year. The exact areas of the Atlantic included in the program are not known at this time. Once the program is released, BOEM will hold a 90 day public comment period , similar to past comment periods. Oceana, and other organizations are organizing to hold opposition events at the public comment events. Stay tuned as we will continue to keep you updated on the latest oil and gas exploration and development proposals.
We are also expecting the release of the proposed 5 year program before or shortly after the first of the year. The exact areas of the Atlantic included in the program are not known at this time. Once the program is released, BOEM will hold a 90 day public comment period , similar to past comment periods. Oceana, and other organizations are organizing to hold opposition events at the public comment events. Stay tuned as we will continue to keep you updated on the latest oil and gas exploration and development proposals.
Last update: 12/10/18
On Thursday, December 6th, a bipartisan letter, sent by Representative Rutherford to Secretary Ryan Zinke and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross opposing seismic airgun surveys in the Atlantic was signed by 93 representatives, including Rep. Rochester. Attached below is a pdf copy of the letter.
| zinke_ross_-_atlantic_seismic_testing_-_iha_issuance_dec_2018_final_signed.pdf |
Last update: 12/5/18
In response to the recent Incidental Harassment Authorization's (IHA's) granted to seismic survey companies by the current administration (see details below), we are asking community members to please call Rep. Rochester's office and ask her to sign a letter being circulated in the House opposing seismic airgun surveys in the Atlantic. There is a bi-partisan letter being circulated on the Hill expressing opposition to the recent IHA decision. Rep. Rochester has not signed yet. We urge you to call her office and ask her to sign the letter. Below is a sample script which can be used when you contact her office. Please be sure to voice your opposition no later than Thursday, December 6th.
Her office may be reached at
(202) 225-4165
Her office may be reached at
(202) 225-4165
ACT is also encouraging folks to contact Andy Harris's office on this matter. His office may be reached at
202-225-5311 - DC office
443-944-8624 - Salisbury office
202-225-5311 - DC office
443-944-8624 - Salisbury office
Read the bi-partisan letter in pdf document available below
| letter_to_secs._zinke_and_ross-_oppose_seismic_airgun_blasting_in_the_atlantic.pdf |
Please feel free to use the sample script below when you make your call...
Hi, my name is ___________. I am calling to express concern about seismic airgun surveys for oil and gas off Delaware’s cost. I want to encourage Congresswomen Rochester to sign a letter opposing seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic which Reps. Rutherford (D-FL) and Beyer (D-VA) have taken the lead in organizing and are circulating. The letter will be sent to Secretaries Ross and Zinke. The deadline for signing on is THURSDAY, DEC. 6. Please contact Reps. Rutherford's (D-FL) or Beyer's (D-VA) office and sign the letter.
Wondering if there is anything else you can do to help keep oil and gas exploration and development out of the Atlantic? Check out Oceana's list of additional action items HERE.
Last updated: 12/3/18
Fed's Issue IHA's For Seismic Surveying In The Atlantic
On November 30th, the National Marine Fisheries Service, a branch of NOAA, granted Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHA's) for seismic surveying companies to begin exploring for oil and gas deposits off the Atlantic coast. Essentially, these IHA's give seismic surveyors the green light to harm marine mammals during oil and gas explorations. Despite continued opposition to seismic blasting surveys by more than 90 percent of coastal communities within proposed survey regions, it is likely that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will now issue final permits, signaling the initiation of seismic blasting up and down the Atlantic coast.
The area proposed for exploration spans from Cape May, New Jersey south to Cape Canaveral, Florida and posses a significant threat to right whales, dolphins, fish, and zooplankton. This kind of danger to the marine food web would significantly impact not just marine life, but the economies on which east coast communities depend.
This move to begin oil and gas exploration is the first step toward oil drilling off the Atlantic coast. Oceana, which has remained vigilant in the fight to keep oil and gas development out of the Atlantic, estimates in their latest analysis that offshore oil drilling activities threaten 1.5 million jobs and $108 billion in GDP.
In a BOEM report released on January 6, 2017, BOEM "announced the denial of six pending geophysical and geological (G&G) permit applications to conduct airgun seismic surveys in the Mid- and South Atlantic Planning Areas of the Atlantic Ocean. The decision is based on a number of factors, including a diminished need for additional seismic survey information because the Atlantic Program Area has been removed from the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program."
In that same report, BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper stated "in the present circumstances and guided by an abundance of caution, we believe that the value of obtaining the geophysical and geological information from new airgun seismic surveys in the Atlantic does not outweigh the potential risks of those surveys’ acoustic pulse impacts on marine life."
For what is believed to be less than a year supply of oil and gas in the proposed seismic surveying area, the threat to our ocean and livelihood far outweighs any benefit that this kind of oil and gas exploration would create.
The area proposed for exploration spans from Cape May, New Jersey south to Cape Canaveral, Florida and posses a significant threat to right whales, dolphins, fish, and zooplankton. This kind of danger to the marine food web would significantly impact not just marine life, but the economies on which east coast communities depend.
This move to begin oil and gas exploration is the first step toward oil drilling off the Atlantic coast. Oceana, which has remained vigilant in the fight to keep oil and gas development out of the Atlantic, estimates in their latest analysis that offshore oil drilling activities threaten 1.5 million jobs and $108 billion in GDP.
In a BOEM report released on January 6, 2017, BOEM "announced the denial of six pending geophysical and geological (G&G) permit applications to conduct airgun seismic surveys in the Mid- and South Atlantic Planning Areas of the Atlantic Ocean. The decision is based on a number of factors, including a diminished need for additional seismic survey information because the Atlantic Program Area has been removed from the 2017-2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program."
In that same report, BOEM Director Abigail Ross Hopper stated "in the present circumstances and guided by an abundance of caution, we believe that the value of obtaining the geophysical and geological information from new airgun seismic surveys in the Atlantic does not outweigh the potential risks of those surveys’ acoustic pulse impacts on marine life."
For what is believed to be less than a year supply of oil and gas in the proposed seismic surveying area, the threat to our ocean and livelihood far outweighs any benefit that this kind of oil and gas exploration would create.
To view the full November 30 press release by Oceana, click HERE.
Oceana's facts and dangers of seismic blasting in marine waters are available HERE.
Interactive "We're Watching" map released by Oceana enables users to locate vessels associated with offshore exploration. The map is available at Oceana.org/SeismicWatch.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead
BREAKING NEWS
Trump Administration Proposes To Open 98% of U.S. Waters to Offshore Drilling, including the Mid-Atlantic!
The Trump Administration is set to release the Draft Proposed Program of the 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program on Monday, January 8th. The Department of Interior previewed the plan at a press conference on Thursday, January 4th. The plan proposes to open nearly the entirety of the country's offshore regions to oil and gas development.
Locally, the entire Atlantic from Maine to Miami is being considered in the plan, which would allow drilling as close as 3 miles to our coast.
ACT will be reviewing the plan upon its release on Monday, January 8th and posting more information as it becomes available. Please stay tuned for details.
The Trump Administration is set to release the Draft Proposed Program of the 2019-2024 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program on Monday, January 8th. The Department of Interior previewed the plan at a press conference on Thursday, January 4th. The plan proposes to open nearly the entirety of the country's offshore regions to oil and gas development.
Locally, the entire Atlantic from Maine to Miami is being considered in the plan, which would allow drilling as close as 3 miles to our coast.
ACT will be reviewing the plan upon its release on Monday, January 8th and posting more information as it becomes available. Please stay tuned for details.
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