The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Secretary Michael S. Regan released the following statement on the Incidental Harassment Authorizations (IHAs) that were issued today by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to five companies for seismic testing off of North Carolina’s coast. The authorizations are another step in opening up North Carolina and other East Coast states to offshore oil and gas exploration.
“With the stress our coastal communities are enduring from the recent hurricanes and other effects of climate change, it is disappointing that the Trump administration would further jeopardize our coastal resources by approving dangerous seismic testing that could lead to offshore drilling. North Carolina has requested a state of emergency declaration for our fisheries, and approval of exploration activities is not a step in the right direction. We should be working to protect marine life, not encourage seismic airguns to disturb a fragile habitat.”