Gullah/Geechee ALERT! Stop Permits for Seismic Gun Activity Off Our Coast!

Gullah/Geechee Nation ♦ February 5, 2015 ♦ 10 Comments

The Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition (www.gullahgeechee.net) is standing with Oceana to protect the Gullah/Geechee Nation‘s coast!  There is a push to begin exploring the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast to see if there could potentially be the presence of oil.  (Oceana released a report entitled “Offshore Energy by the Numbers” which you can also obtain here: http://oceana.org/publications/reports/offshore-energy-numbers)   Seismic airguns will be used that would likely cause sea creatures to migrate to other areas to avoid this activity.   Seismic airguns are used to find oil and gas deep beneath the ocean floor. The decibel levels of airguns are so loud that they can disturb, injure and even kill marine life.  In addition, if oil was found and drilling began there are other potential harms such as oil spills and an increase in the potential for earthquakes along the east coast which is where the Sea Islands of the Gullah/Geechee Nation are located.

With all of the risk that are being assessed, no one is calculating and considering the risk to the continued existence of Gullah/Geechee culture nor the quality of life of our community!  Therefore, we stand AGAINST these exploratory operations and any oil drilling along the east coast where there are a number of irreplaceable cultural communities.  For those that do not believe these things affect such communities, please tune in to this: 

We need EVERYONE that values the Gullah/Geechee Nation‘s coast to insure that you send in an email stating that you oppose the permit request in SC for the use of these seismic airguns. Also, state that you are requesting a longer comment period to allow the rest of the public to be able to weigh in on this.  Currently, they have only posted that comments will be accepted until February 7, 2015 which would have only allowed 7 days for the public to respond:

http://www.scdhec.gov/Apps/Environment/PublicNotices/SearchAndDisplay/Display/1464

Cc the Gullah/Geechee Sea Island Coalition at GullGeeCo@aol.com and Samantha Siegel of Oceana at ssiegel@oceana.org when you write to:

Coastal Zone Consistency Staff Contacts at the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/WaterQuality/CoastalPermits/CoastalZoneConsistency/)

Curtis Joyner, Section Manager – joynercm@dhec.sc.gov or 843-953-0205
Tara Maddock, Project Manager – maddoctc@dhec.sc.gov or 843-953-0243
Chrisine Koczera, Project Manager – koczerc@dhec.sc.gov or 843-953-0702

We caan le de big fish nyam pun de lil fish no mo!  Hep fa protect de Gullah/Geechee Nation sho!