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April 20, 2015 <br />FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF <br />ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION <br />MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS BUILDING <br />3900 COMMONWEALTH BOULEVARD <br />TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA 32399-3000 <br />Mr. John C. Johnson, Supervisor <br />Data Acquisition and Special Projects Unit <br />Resource Evaluation <br />Bureau of Ocean Energy Management <br />Gulf of Mexico OCS Region <br />1201 Elmwood Park Boulevard <br />New Orleans, Louisiana 70123-2394 <br />Dear Mr. Johnson: <br />RICK SCOTT <br />GOVERNOR <br />CARLOS LOPEZ-CANTERA <br />LT GOVERNOR <br />JONATHAN P STE\'ERSON <br />SECRETARY <br />Following a 2010 Congressional mandate, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management <br />(BOEM) developed a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) analyzing <br />the potential impacts of Geological and Geophysical (G&G) exploration off the Mid- and <br />South Atlantic Planning Areas since there was no National Environmental Policy Act <br />(NEPA) coverage for permitting G&G activities in this area. The final PEIS examined <br />G&G activities for three program areas: (1) oil and gas, (2) renewable energy, and (3) <br />marine minerals for activities between 2012 and 2020. The National Oceanographic and <br />Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), U.S. <br />Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and other federal, state and local agencies were <br />consulted during preparation of the PEIS. The Record of Decision (ROD) for the PEIS <br />released in July 2014 allows BOEM to consider permit applications for G&G activities <br />throughout the Planning Areas, consistent with the mitigation measures set forth in the <br />PEIS. <br />BOEM's Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Region currently has 10 applications to <br />conduct G&G activities in the Atlantic Ocean offshore the mid- and south Atlantic states. <br />Five of those applications have proposed G&G activities offshore Florida, with several <br />directly adjacent to state waters. In addition, one of the pending applications is for <br />activities in BOEM's Straits of Florida Planning Area. <br />Florida is concerned about the effects of G&G activities on its marine and coastal <br />resources including sea turtles, marine mammals (including the North Atlantic Right <br />Whale) and fishery resources and their habitats located in these areas. Much of Florida's <br />economy is dependent on these healthy and sustainable marine and coastal resources. <br />ni'u' dep.sicue./1 ns <br />1t -15-D3 <br />