5877635 ACR 21-170, District of Columbia Seismic Airgun Blasting and Offshore Drilling Opposition Resolution of 2016

A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

 

21-170 

 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

 

February 2, 2016

 

 

To express the District of Columbia’s opposition to seismic airgun blasting and offshore drilling activities.

 

WHEREAS, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is currently in the process of trying to open the Mid- and South Atlantic Ocean to exploration and development of offshore oil and gas, including risky methods, such as seismic airgun blasting;
 

WHEREAS, seismic airguns fire frequent, intense blasts of compressed air, one of the loudest man-made sounds in the ocean, that could prove harmful to or injure and kill marine mammals, fish, and other marine life;
 

WHEREAS,  seismic airgun sounds can be heard up to 2,500 miles from the source under some propagation conditions, farther than the distance from Washington, D.C. to Las Vegas;
 

WHEREAS, the full impact of seismic airgun blasting and offshore drilling in the Atlantic Ocean are not yet fully understood by scientists, the oil and gas industry, or the federal government;
 

WHEREAS, exploratory and commercial drilling, extraction, and transportation of offshore oil and gas resources pose a significant risk of oil spills and leakage of other toxic waste;
 

WHEREAS, offshore drilling may require significant onshore infrastructure, such as pipelines or refineries, which may harm the character of our coast;
 

WHEREAS, the District of Columbia endeavors to be a good steward of the region’s environment and its resources;
 

WHEREAS, the District of Columbia recognizes that the Chesapeake Bay is a major historical, cultural, economic, and ecological treasure to our city and surrounding region;

WHEREAS, residents of the District of Columbia enjoy close proximity to pristine beach areas in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware that are at direct risk from offshore drilling activities;
 

WHEREAS, offshore drilling activities pose threats to coastal wetlands in the Chesapeake Bay region, which are of intrinsic ecological value for numerous migratory bird species, serve as essential nursery habitats for recreational and commercially important fisheries, and act as natural buffers from storm surge and hurricanes;
 

WHEREAS, the exploration and development of oil and gas off the Mid- and South Atlantic coast will not effectively address the long-term energy needs of our country; and

 

WHEREAS, the District of Columbia has set a goal of increasing the use of renewable energy to make up 50% of the District’s energy supply by 2030, and offshore oil drilling will not assist in achieving that goal.

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “District of Columbia Seismic Airgun Blasting and Offshore Drilling Opposition Resolution of 2016”.

 

Sec. 2. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Register.