- It was only 2 years ago (8/23/2021) that NOAA published their determination that Rice’s whale is a separate species. It was previously considered to be a Bryde’s whale sub-species.
- The expanded Rice’s whale area is based on a single 2022 study that concluded that Rice’s whales were “the most plausible explanation” for moan calls observed in the northwest GoM shelf break area. No Brice’s whales were sighted in the expanded area during this study. Is this sufficient basis for restrictions that threaten operations that are critical to our economy?
- Why not take advantage of existing platforms to facilitate more definitive studies? There are currently 81 production platforms within the expanded Rice’s whale area (100 to 400 m water depth).These include important platforms like Amberjack, Cognac, Cerveza, and Lobster.
- Stipulations are part of the lease contract and can be difficult to modify, even when the lessor and lessee are in agreement.
- Why not rely on voluntary measures until further studies have been completed? The offshore industry has a good record of cooperation with the government to protect sensitive biological resources. The Flower Garden Banks is a good example of such cooperation.
In addition to the lease stipulation, the entire expanded Brice’s whale area has been excluded from the lease sale. Senator Manchin strongly criticized that decision:
Let me be clear, the exclusion of more than 6 million productive acres from the upcoming offshore oil and gas lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico based on a settlement reached in the name of protecting Rice’s whale while conveniently only targeting oil and gas is yet another example of this Administration’s intentional undermining of the strong energy security provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Senator Manchin
Bud's Offshore Energy (BOE) 
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