As the transition from summer to fall fast approaches, I remember the weeks I’ve spent at the North Carolina beaches over the past couple of years. I built countless sand castles with my friends and spent many hours swimming in the clean oceans. That’s why I was concerned when I heard that our beautiful North Carolina coasts and marine life were threatened by offshore oil and gas exploration.

Seismic blasting is a dangerous form of oil and gas exploration that sends loud blasts of air deep into the Earth’s crust. According to Oceana, seismic blasting harms marine life by causing temporary or permanent hearing loss, abandonment of their habitats, disruption of mating behaviors, changes in feeding patterns and possible deaths or beachings.

The problem doesn’t stop there — if allowed, seismic blasting would be a first step to drilling off the coast. Right now, the Obama administration is considering whether to approve or deny oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic.  Any member of the NC State Wolfpack should join me in urging President Barack Obama to deny seismic testing permits in the Atlantic. 

Ellie Hardwick is a junior studying environmental science and political science.