UPDATE: Resolution against off-shore drilling passed
A resolution against seismic surveying and off-shore drilling was passed unanimously by the Ocean City council on Monday.
In January, a five-year plan was issued by the Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The plan includes off-shore drilling in the Atlantic region, including parts of the Eastern Shore.
Before drilling can happen, we’re told oil companies need to map out the ocean floor and find potential drilling spots through a process known as seismic surveying.
Matthew Heim, an outreach and communications coordinator at Assateague Coastal Trust, says the process of seismic surveying requires firing an air-gun into the ocean every ten seconds. Heim says the process has the potential to disrupt marine wildlife.
“Whales and dolphins…it causes them to lose their hearing and it scares fish out of the area, and it impacts the creatures that can’t move out of the area like crabs, horse-shoe crabs, things of that nature.” Explains Heim.
We’re told BOEM is currently in the process of reviewing comments on the draft proposal and has also gotten permit applications from companies hoping to explore for oil and natural gas.
47 ABC spoke to BOEM on Monday in regards to the potential dangers of off-shore drilling. In a statement sent to 47 ABC, an official said “Our bureau conducts the environmental analyses and recommends protective measures if oil and gas drilling are to take place.”
Terry McGean, an engineer with the town of Ocean City, says he is not pro-drilling but understands the appeal of a project which could create jobs. McGean also added he believes the type of big machinery needed for big drilling operations isn’t feasible in Ocean City.
“For some of the larger equipment and vessels that have to come in, we just don’t have the facilities for that so its more than likely that type of activity would be occurring either in Norfolk or up in Delaware.” Says McGean.
Local officials tell 47 ABC they will take the recommendation to lawmakers but the final decision is ultimately in the hands of BOEM. The agency is expected to draft another version of the proposal in 2016.
