Offshore Exploration Company Pulls Application Under Public Pressure

WASHINGTON – WesternGeco has withdrawn its application for a federal permit to conduct seismic blasting for oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic ocean.  The company is one of five seeking federal approval.

The following is a statement from Michael Jasny, director of the marine mammal protection project at NRDC (the Natural Resources Defense Council):

“This withdrawal is a sign of how strong the bipartisan opposition is—by coastal communities and officials at every level—to the harm that seismic explosions along the Atlantic coast would cause to marine life, to our oceans, and to our climate.

“Four companies are still looking to pursue this harm, and they should follow WesternGeco’s lead in standing down.”

The permit application withdrawal is unrelated to an executive memorandum issued earlier this week by the Trump administration that bars offshore oil and gas leasing for ten years. 

A copy of the company’s permit application withdrawal letter is here.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organization with more than 3 million members and online activists. Since 1970, our lawyers, scientists, and other environmental specialists have worked to protect the world's natural resources, public health, and the environment. NRDC has offices in New York City, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Bozeman, MT, and Beijing. Visit us at www.nrdc.org and follow us on Twitter @NRDC