OCEAN CITY — A renewed effort to open vast areas of ocean floor off the mid-Atlantic coast to potentially dangerous seismic air gun testing led to Maryland’s elected officials firing off a letter this week to Gov. Larry Hogan asking him to intercede on the state’s behalf.
In late April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reopening vast areas off the mid-Atlantic coast to offshore oil exploration and drilling, renewing a years-long battle that resulted in the previous administration reversing the plan. In June, the Trump administration took initial steps in expediting the plan to explore and potentially drill for oil and gas reserves off the mid-Atlantic coast when he authorized the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to issue as many as five Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) permits, which, if approved, would allow the private sector companies awarded the permits to begin the dangerous practice of seismic air gun testing.
Seismic air gun testing is used to determine what oil and natural gas reserves lie beneath the ocean floor. Seismic air guns essentially shoot blasts of compressed air into the ocean floor each of which is an estimated 100,000 times more intense than the sound of a jet engine. If approved, vessels would tow as many as 30 air guns, which would be fired every 10 seconds continuously 24 hours a day and seven days a week for the duration of the mapping exercise, which could last for several weeks.
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If I write my letter it will be for the Governor to tell them to drive forward with breakneck speed.
ReplyDeleteDrill baby DRILL!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI guess 11:36 and 11:37 don't like our seafood or tourism industries. One spill off our coast, even 1/10th the size of the Deepwater Horizon spill in the gulf of Mexico (April 2010), would decimate any business that relies on our clean water for survival.
ReplyDeleteAlways with the negative "waves" 1225! Think POSITIVE since the gulf spill was 7 YEARS ago and nothing has happened since. Has there been disaster after disaster since the Exxon Valdez WAY back in the 1980"s????? Uh...no.
ReplyDeleteMore GOOD than harm takes place with drilling. Jobs...uh jobs...hmmm jobs...jobs...and oh yeah jobs. Less dependence on OTHERS like (IRAQ, SAUDI too.
Another item, which you might not be aware - MOST of our seafood does not come from the Atlantic Ocean! That's right, no kidding!!!! China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Alaska...aka PACIFIC OCEAN and occasionally the Gulf of Mexico, although not seeing much fresh "gulf shrimp" in the local grocer let alone restaurants who's major suppliers include SYSCO, ARAMARK, US FOODS and Gordon!!!!
Positive Waves and an occasional crab pot in Assaswoman Bay!!!!
"...the gulf spill was 7 YEARS ago and nothing has happened since..."
ReplyDeleteand their coastal industries have never recovered.
Dependence? We are less dependent on foreign oil than any time in our past.
Yes a lot of seafood comes from elsewhere. We eat a LOT. Tell the local watermen that their JOBS don't count.
If a person doesn't understand why seismic testing is bad, then that person is an idiot.
ReplyDeleteIt is bad inherently.
There is simply no way on earth it is OK for the marine life.
Whales can hear other whale sounds in the ocean thousands of miles away.
ReplyDeleteThey aren't the only marine animals that can do that.
Now, imagine generating a sound 100,000 times louder than a damn jet engine produces, perhaps, mere yards away from them. PERMEATING the ocean.
You wouldn't have any problem with a jet runaway in your back yard, either, right?
How about 50-60 THOUSAND F-15's taking off at the same time? Right outside your back door. Uh huh. AND, you don't get to leave or use any ear protection.
You'd stop that "drill baby drill" crap REAL fast.
What? EXXON ain't satisfied with gouging us and making 25-35 BILLION a quarter?
They need MORE supply? Not according to all inventory statistics THEY publish.
Keep cheering.