Feds push GoM protection

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced Sept. 28 the availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) recommending strong measures to protect marine mammals and coastal environments in the Gulf of Mexico from potential impacts of geological and geophysical (G&G) surveys for oil, gas and minerals in federal and adjacent state waters. Completion of the draft PEIS was a condition of a federal court settlement between BOEM and the National Resource Defense Council and other co-plaintiffs. Among the mitigations BOEM has recommended as a preferred alternative are: Requiring protected species observers on each boat, mandatory vessel avoidance of marine mammals and start up and shut down rules that apply if or when marine mammals are observed in the area. (Source: Marine Link 09/28/16)