Moultrie News
March 20, 2015
The town of James Island unanimously passed a resolution opposing offshore drilling and the use of seismic airguns to search for oil and gas deposits off their coast. James Island followed Folly Beach, Edisto Island, Beaufort, Port Royal, Hilton Head and Isle of Palm’s lead becoming the seventh community in South Carolina to formally oppose offshore drilling and seismic blasting, and the 40th coastal community to publically oppose or voice concern with seismic airgun use. The city of Charleston and the city of Myrtle Beach will consider similar resolutions at their next meetings, both March 24.
“Oceana applauds James Island town council for taking a stand and protecting South Carolina residents from the dangers of offshore drilling and seismic blasting,” said campaign organizer Samantha Siegel. “Now is the time for all South Carolina residents and elected officials to voice our opposition. Our strength in numbers can and will win this fight. We look forward to seeing which community will pass the next resolution.”
“James Islanders have demonstrated over the years how much they care about and value the coast. The Town’s resolution further solidifies this commitment to protecting the environment, as Town Council clearly recognizes how detrimental both airgun blasting and offshore drilling will be to everything our coastal communities love.”
Elected officials, local business owners and coastal residents are not the only ones expressing opposition. Earlier this month, 75 leading scientists sent a letter to President Obama urging him to stop the proposal to conduct seismic blasting. “The Interior Department’s decision to authorize seismic surveys along the Atlantic coast is based on the premise that these activities would have only a negligible impact on marine species and populations,” the scientists wrote. “On the contrary, the magnitude of the proposed seismic activity is likely to have significant, long-lasting, and widespread impacts on the reproduction and survival of fish and marine mammal populations in the region, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, of which only 500 remain.”
Additionally, the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce has opposed offshore drilling and seismic blasting. 65 members of Congress, nearly 300 local elected officials, more than 160 conservation and animal welfare organizations, as well as the Billfish Foundation, the International Game Fish Association, the Southeastern Fishery Association, and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council, have also opposed the use of seismic airguns. Oceana has delivered more than 100,000 petitions opposing their use to the director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
The Obama administration released its draft five-year plan for oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf, and huge swaths of the Atlantic Ocean and Arctic Ocean are included for potential development, including the coast of South Carolina.