U.S. opens door to East Coast offshore oil and gas drilling
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/07/19/u-s-opens-door-to-east-coast-offshore-oil-and-gas-drilling/
U.S. opens door to East Coast offshore oil and gas drilling
By Agence France-Presse
Saturday, July 19, 2014 10:17 EDT
The United States on Friday opened the way to offshore oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean, authorizing the controversial use of sonic cannons for seismic surveys.
Exploration off the US East Coast has been banned since the early 1980s, largely because of environmental concerns. The use of sonic waves, whose noise levels are magnified under water, risks harm to marine life.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said in a statement it was establishing the highest practicable level of mitigation measures and safeguards to reduce or eliminate impacts to marine life while setting a path forward for appropriate geological and geophysical (G&G) survey activities
to update 40-year old data on the regions offshore resources.
The decision does not authorize any G&G activities, but establishes a framework for additional reviews for sites when it considers permit applications for those activities, the BOEM said.