BOEM is responsible for managing the development of the nation’s resources on the Outer Continental Shelf in an environmentally and economically responsible way. Information on those resources is critical to BOEM’s ability to be responsible stewards of the nation’s resources. G&G surveys are an important tool in determining potential resources under the ocean floor. These types of surveys were last completed in the Atlantic in the 1980s.
To learn more about the different types of G&G Surveys, see BOEM's G&G Surveys Fact Sheet.
Environmental Protective Measures
In 2010, Congress mandated that a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) be prepared because there had been no comprehensive review of potential environmental impacts of G&G activities off the Atlantic coast. In developing the PEIS under the National Environmental Policy Act, BOEM coordinated with the National Marine Fisheries Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and other agencies and organizations to develop a mitigation strategy focused on avoiding injury to marine animals and reducing the potential for behavioral disruption.
After a transparent and robust public process, in July 2014, BOEM issued a Record of Decision (ROD) establishing the highest practicable level of protective measures and safeguards to reduce or eliminate impacts to marine life while setting a path forward for appropriate G&G survey activities off the Mid- and South Atlantic coast to update data on the region’s offshore resources. (Press Release)
BOEM's website provides up-to-date information on the status of any requests received from private companies for permits to use G&G Seismic surveys.
