The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has published a final Environmental Impact Statement for oil and gas leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. At pages 4-47 to 4-48, the EIS includes this conclusion regarding the impact of oil and gas seismic on GOM marine mammals:
“NTL 2012-JOINT-G02, ‘Implementation of Seismic Survey Mitigation Measures and Protected Species Observer Program,’ minimizes the potential of harm from seismic operations to marine mammals. These mitigations include onboard observers, airgun shut-downs for whales in the exclusion zone, ramp-up procedures, and the use of a minimum sound source. Therefore, no significant cumulative impacts to marine mammals would be expected as a result of the proposed exploration activities when added to the impacts of past, present, or reasonably foreseeable oil and gas development in the area, as well as other ongoing activities in the area.
Within the WPA, there is a long-standing and well-developed OCS Program (more than 50 years); there are no data to suggest that activities from the preexisting OCS Program are significantly impacting marine mammal populations.”
To read this EIS, click here and go to Gulf of Mexico OCS Oil and Gas Lease Sales: 2014 and 2016, Western Planning Area Lease Sales 238, 246 and 248, Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement .
