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done to avoid harm, such as avoiding migration routes and stopping surveys if vessels get close enough to marine mammals to possibly injure their hearing After a thorough, public process, the Department selected a preferred alternative that included the most restrictive mitigation measures that would allow surveys to take place We expect survey operators to comply with our requirements and, if they do, seismic surveys should not cause any deaths or injuries to the hearing of marine mammal or sea turtles. Another source of confusion is about what a "take" is. As defined by Federal law, a "take" of a marine mammal, unsurprisingly, includes causing its death However "take" also includes not only injury to hearing but also any disturbance to an animal that may disrupt its behavior BOEM has published numbers of potential "takes," and the highest numbers are based on potential for behavioral effects, such as temporarily leaving survey areas. These behavioral effects have not been linked to negative impacts on populations. In fact, the same Federal law defining "take" of a marine mammal prohibits all taking unless the NOAA has determined that the taking will have no more than "negligible impact" and no adverse effects on marine mammal species or stocks BOEM cannot authorize air gun surveys which "take" marine mammals unless the surveys are also authorized by NOAA and meet this requirement. BOEM also consulted with both NOAA and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act to develop mitigations that would limit any potential impacts to endangered and threatened species, including baleen whales and sea turtles Does this decision mean that the federal government is opening the entire Atlantic coast up for offshore oil and gas drilling? The decision to authorize G&G activities for all three program areas (oil and gas, renewable energy and marine minerals) does not authorize leasing for oil and gas exploration and development in the Atlantic. Those decisions will be addressed through the development of the next Five Year Program for oil and gas leasing BOEM is at the beginning of the process to develop that program pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. The planning process will take two -and -a -half to three years to complete and will offer many opportunities for the public to provide input. Completion of the PEIS and BOEM's selection of the strongest environmental alternative and its documentation in the decision (ROD) do not themselves authorize any specific activities. Nor does this make any decision about future leasing The bureau's decision requires a set of protective measures that will be used in site-specific permits for any future G&G activities in the Atlantic BOEM will conduct site-specific environmental reviews for any permit applications. These reviews will include coordination and consultation with federal, state and tribal authorities under a variety of additional statutory requirements. In particular, any "taking" of a marine mammal requires authorization from NOAA, separately from BOEM, and that authorization requires NOAA to find that there is no more than "negligible impact" and no adverse effects on marine mammal species or stocks. Click here for the fact sheet on Atlantic G&G Surveys Record of Decision - BOEM - The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science -based management of offshore conventional and renewable energy resources. 213