To The Glynn County Board Of Commissioners:

Dear Messrs. Michael Browning, Dale Provenzano, Richard Strickland, Bill Brunson, Allen Booker, Mark Stambaugh and
 Bob Coleman.

Re: Request for the Glynn County Board of Commissioners to adopt a resolution opposing seismic testing off Saint Simons Island, Sea Island and the entirety of Glynn County, GA.

This petition is respectively submitted by the concerned citizens of Saint Simons Island, Sea Island, businesses owners and the many tourist and vacationers, from around the world, who enjoy our pristine beaches, marshes, and in particular the abundant marine life, wildlife and waterfowl that grace our Atlantic Coastline.   Saint Simons Island is well known for both its inshore and offshore fishing, bird watching, dolphin and rare North Atlantic right whale sightings, as well as the southern charm associated with the island’s lifestyle.

As you are well aware, the forthcoming offshore oil and gas drilling as proposed by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), requires suitable locations for exploration.  The current technology to locate and to determine the size of oil and gas reservoirs, necessitates deep penetration seismic surveys, in which a survey vessel tows an array of airguns that emit acoustic blasts into the seafloor over long durations and over large areas, would result in unacceptable environmental effects. It is well established that the high-intensity pulses produced by airguns can cause a range of impacts on marine mammals, fish, and other marine life, including broad habitat displacement, disruption of vital behaviors essential to foraging and breeding, loss of biological diversity, and, in some circumstances, injuries and mortalities.

We, the undersigned, have significant concerns with the actions proposed by BOEM, geological and geophysical activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) would cause significant environmental harm to marine life and the ocean ecosystem. It is estimated, as stated in a BOEM report, that numerous marine mammals and fish would be adversely affected or killed.

According to BOEM, seismic airgun testing for oil and gas in the Atlantic will injure or kill 138,500 marine species, dolphins and whales, including the endangered North Atlantic right whales. In addition to potential behavior disruption, experts anticipate impacts to the nesting routine of sea turtles,  as well as, temporary hearing loss, and physiological effects on pelagic fishes.

We honestly believe that such impacts to our local marine resources are not an acceptable price to pay for the assessment of potential oil and gas resources on the Atlantic OCS.  Beyond the direct effects to the ocean species, oil and gas operations will also threaten the economic and social well being of Saint Simons Island and adjoining communities. 

Industries such as tourism, recreation, and commercial fishing are fundamentally dependent on a healthy ocean environment and generate significant economic revenue for Glynn County and Saint Simons Island.

Through this petition, we are requesting that Glynn County join the more than 100 East Coast communities who have taken affirmative action to oppose seismic surveys and offshore drilling. We urge you, Glynn County Board of Commissioners, to adopt a resolution expressing the value of our community and lifestyle and opposing offshore practices that threaten our quality of life and the home we love.

Other Georgia communities have voiced opposition to offshore drilling and seismic blasting, including the City of Savannah, Tybee Island, St. Marys, Kingsland and Glynn County’s municipal seat, the City of Brunswick. The Brunswick City Commission passed a resolution on May 20, 2015.

We the undersigned, truly trust and have faith that our elected officials will protect the integrity of our islands, the health of our coast and our quality of life by opposing the federal plans to open our coast for seismic blasting and oil and gas development.