Environmental groups opposing offshore oil and gas prevail for now. The legal challenge against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will continue in U.S. District Court in South Carolina after Judge Gergel denied the Department of Interior’s motion to dismiss it. This ruling follows a decision Judge Gergel made at the beginning of the year,…
The release of the 2019-2024 Proposed National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program has been postponed indefinitely according to Interior Secretary David Bernhardt. Bernhardt explained in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, published on Apr. 25, 2019, that the agency will await the outcome of the appeals process against the decision from…
On March 29, Judge Gleason of the U.S. District Court for the District of Alaska overturned President Trump’s push to open up 128 million acres in Arctic and Atlantic waters to oil and gas drilling. These federal waters were withdrawn from lease sales in 2015 and 2016, making them off-limits to oil and gas exploration…
The League of Women Voters of Dare County hosted a public meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27 to discuss the current activity associated with seismic surveys and the development of the 2019-2024 National OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program. Craig Merrill, the Natural Resources Committee Chair, welcomed the attendees and introduced Bob Woodard, Dare County Commissioner…
Press release via Oceana CHARLESTON, SC – A group of conservation organizations today asked a federal judge to block the start of harmful seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean, a precursor to offshore drilling, until the case can be fully heard in court. The motion for a preliminary injunction filed in federal court in…
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Leading environmental groups sued the federal government today to prevent seismic airgun blasting in the Atlantic Ocean. This extremely loud and dangerous process, which is used to search for oil and gas deposits deep below the ocean’s surface, is the first step toward offshore drilling. If allowed, seismic airgun blasting would harm marine life,…
On Nov. 30, 2018 the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) granted incidental harassment authorizations (IHAs) to five companies that submitted applications to conduct geophysical surveys along the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf. The NMFS is required to review the applications in accordance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and provide companies with a suite of…
submit your comment by march 9 The federal government wouldn’t go to the coast for a public meeting — so the people who live on the coast came to them. More than 500 people attended Monday’s Rally to Raleigh, with approximately 200 riding buses from Wilmington, Morehead City and Nags Head to make their voices…
“Rally to Raleigh” to Oppose Offshore Oil and Gas Off of Our Coast Buses will be leaving from Wilmington, Morehead City and Nags Head to bring coastal residents to the Feb. 26 public meeting in Raleigh. The federal government proposes to allow drilling for oil and gas just three miles off of North Carolina’s beaches,…
Earlier this week, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality announced it is hosting three public hearings on the potential oil and gas leasing program. Your attendance is needed. Please plan to attend one of the three public hearings. DEQ is looking for comments and will accept them at the hearings or in writing. Send written comments to…