Page 16 - The Voice 2017

IBLA REMANDS

ATLANTIC

SEISMIC PERMIT
APPLICATIONS

AFTER IAGC APPEAL

F ollowing the Implementing an

Energy
Offshore
America-First
Executive
Order
Strategy
and
Secretarial Order on 1 May 2017, the
BOEM rescinded the previous IAGC Testifies Before
Administration's arbitrary decision to
deny G&G permit applications in the U.S.
Atlantic OCS. The memorandum Congress on Regulations
administratively reversed the decision
from 5 January 2017 that denied the six Gone Astray
pending permit applications. The IAGC,
together with its six member-companies,
TGS, PGS, WesternGeco, CGG, Spectrum estifying before Congress in a hearing of the House of
and GXT/ION, appealed the arbitrary Representatives Natural Resources Committee's Subcommittee
permit denials to the Interior Board of Ton Oversight and Investigations on "Examining Impacts of
Land Appeals (IBLA) in March. Following Federal Natural Resources Laws Gone Astray, Part II" on 18 July, IAGC
the memorandum, the IBLA remanded President, Nikki Martin, called for modernizing the antiquated Marine
the permit applications to BOEM and Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of the 1970s to meet the needs of
dismissed all pending motions in the the 21st century.
appeals of the Atlantic permit applications,
including motions from environmental Speaking of the now more than seven-year process of evaluation and
activist organizations attempting to issuance of permits for oil and gas exploration using seismic surveys
intervene. in U.S. Atlantic waters overseen by the Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) and the National Marine Fisheries Service
This action was another example of the (NMFS), Martin said, "I have experienced first-hand the detrimental
IAGC's success in increasing the impacts of non-transparent and delayed decision-making on the
recognition that G&G data are required to geophysical industry stemming from an outdated law, the MMPA,
advance exploration and development. currently administered by agencies and exploited by advocacy groups
The IAGC and our member companies in ways that were never envisioned by Congress." Martin also said
have been working on access to the seismic surveying, which is critical to identifying the nation's energy
Atlantic OCS for many years, and these supplies, is often hampered by extreme environmental advocacy
new actions bring that goal one step closer. groups that abuse existing regulatory and litigation processes.

Currently, five MMPA authorizations are In her testimony, Martin also endorsed the Streamlining Environmental
pending for issuance by NOAA Fisheries, Approvals Act of 2017 (SEA Act) introduced by Congressman Mike
a final step in a long road to new U.S. Johnson (LA-04). The SEA Act provides a much-needed common-
Atlantic seismic surveys. sense approach to ensure that offshore energy exploration and other
critical activities can move forward. This important bill will provide
certainty in the application process, in line with the original intent of
the MMPA.

16 THE VOICE