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and will result in no benefi ts to protected species. This ap- proach is contrary to both the best available scientifi c in- formation and applicable law. The truth is that seismic surveys have been conducted safely for decades, and industry already routinely imple- ments a suite of measures to mitigate potential impacts to marine animals. The best science and research, includ- ing the Department of Interior’s own studies, show that seismic surveys have little to no effect on marine mam- mal populations. Government scientists acknowledge this, and dispute the hyperbolic claims of environmentalists in BOEM’s Science Notes of August 22, 2014. Regulators should rely only on sound science when set- ting permit requirements. The stakes — for the offshore industry, the nation’s domestic energy production, the strength of the overall economy, and the jobs that hang in the balance — demand no less. Randall Luthi is President, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). Previously, Luthi’s career includes time spent as Wyoming Speaker of the House, director of a Federal agency, legislative assistant in the U.S. Sen- ate, and an attorney at both the Department of the Inte- rior (DOI) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), where he worked on natural resource damages following the Exxon Valdez accident. Luthi most recently served as the Director of the Miner- als Management Service (MMS) at DOI from July 2007 through January 2009. OP/EDCOLUMN 22 MN November 2014 MN Nov14 Layout 18-31.indd 22 10/23/2014 10:22:39 AM
