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Meeting today on offshore drilling
offshoredrillingmap
This BOEM map shows the areas that are being considered for offshore drilling in the Atlantic. - photo by BOEM map

The federal agency considering permitting the search for oil and gas deposits off the Georgia Coast and then possibly drilling for them has set a public meeting for today in Savannah.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said it set the meeting in response to requests from citizens, organizations and elected officials in Georgia, North Carolina and New Jersey. The so-called scoping meeting is the last of three added after a series of earlier meetings on the Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement that BOEM is preparing in support of an oil and gas leasing program for 2017-2022. As part of its environmental analysis, BOEM is asking stakeholders to identify issues of concern for evaluation.
The meeting will be from 3-7 p.m. in the Hyatt Regency Savannah on West Bay Street.
It will feature information stations hosted by BOEM experts who will be available to discuss environmental issues.
“Information gathered during these meetings will help BOEM determine which environmental issues to analyze further in the PEIS being prepared for the 2017-2022 oil and gas leasing program,” a news release said.
You can also provide hand-written or electronic comments on-site. If you can’t attend the meet, but would like to comment, start at the BOEM PEIS website, www.boemoceaninfo.com. This site includes a mapping tool to visualize the program areas and resource information, and create maps identifying areas or resources of concern. The maps and comments may be submitted through Regulations.gov (www.boemoceaninfo.com links to Regulations.gov), by traditional mail or by hand delivery. The deadline for providing Scoping comments is next Monday.
The proposal, announced in January, includes 14 potential lease sales in eight planning areas, including the Mid- and South-Atlantic from Maryland to Florida. If approved it would allow drilling 50 miles off Georgia.

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