In the News

The International Association of Geophysical Contractors (IAGC) today in a hearing of the House of Representatives Natural Resources Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations on “Examining Impacts of Federal Natural Resources Laws Gone Astray, Part II” appealed to Congress to make changes to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of the 1970’s to meet the needs of the 21^st century.

Speaking of the now more than seven-year process of evaluation and issuance of permits for oil and gas exploration using seismic surveys in U.S. Atlantic waters overseen by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Nikki Martin, President of the IAGC said, “I have experienced first-hand the detrimental impacts of non-transparent and delayed decision making on the geophysical industry stemming from an outdated law, the MMPA, currently administered by agencies and exploited by advocacy groups in ways that were never envisioned by Congress.”

Martin also said seismic surveying, which is critical to identifying the nation’s energy supplies is often hampered by extreme environmental advocacy groups that abuse existing regulatory and litigation processes.

Martin endorsed the Streamlining Environmental Approvals Act of 2017 (SEA Act) introduced on June 27^th by Congressman Mike Johnson (LA-04).  “The SEA Act provides a much-needed common-sense approach to ensure that offshore energy exploration and other critical activities can move forward, Martin said. She added, “This important bill will provide certainty in the application process, in line with the original intent of the MMPA.”

Seismic and other geophysical surveys have been safely conducted in the U.S. and around the globe for more than 50 years. Geophysical surveys are the critical first step to better understanding the resource base of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and providing policy makers and regulators with the information they need to make informed decisions about oil and gas development based on the best available data.