Float for the coast
With boats, paddles, and boards in tow, 90 “kayaktivisits,” those are kayaking activists, headed out to the bay in Ocean City Friday to float for the coast.
Jim Bourke, a kayaktivist at the event says, “What we need is clean water, not just the oceans, but also the bays. Offshore drilling is probably not the best idea in the world.”
The federal government’s 2017 to 2022 Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program currently includes the possibility of drilling in the Atlantic Ocean. Environmentalists are hoping to raise awareness about the risks for Delmarva’s beaches, both environmentally and economically.
They say locals and legislators should consider what the broken onshore pipe line spill did to Santa Barbara County California, just this past May. The spill took over 9 miles of contaminated coastline. That wasn’t even a tourist area. There’s also the concern of seismic surveying, which is done before drilling can even take place.
Matt Heim, the outreach and communications coordinator with the Assateague Coastal Trust says, “It’s one of the loudest man made sounds on earth. It will send off a sound every ten seconds, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for the duration of a mapping period. That can have a real impact on marine wildlife, fisheries, and anything that can’t get out of the way in the ocean.”
The Assateague Coastal Trust tells 47 ABC they know Senator Barbara Mikulski is a strong advocate of the Clean Water Act. However, they’re trying to help on the local level. Since the beginning of the year, they’ve been working to raise awareness, encourage public comment, and meet with ocean city leaders.
Kathy Phillips, the Coastkeeper with the Assateague Coastal Trust says, “We’re working very closely with them. We want them to adopt a resolution to oppose the seismic blasting off of Ocean City and the off shore drilling.”
The details of that resolution will be reviewed in the fall. However, until then they’ll continue to advocate for clean water and they’re hoping next time it’ll be in Annapolis.
The Assateague Coastal Trust tells us they’ve planned a film festival that will be held in November at Secrets in Ocean City. They say the films discuss oil fracking, off shore drilling and other actions they believe can harm the waters. If you would like to review the Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program click here.
