January 12, 2026
Ms. Kelly Hammerle
Program Manager
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, VA 20166
Re: Comments on the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Draft Proposed Program (Docket No. BOEM 2025 0483)
Dear Ms. Hammerle,
On behalf of the Georgia Conservancy, I would like to express our support for the Department of the Interior’s decision to exclude Georgia and the broader Atlantic Coast from the proposed Lease Sale Schedule in the Draft Proposed Program for the 11th National Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program. This is a meaningful and deeply appreciated consideration that reflects an understanding of the ecological, economic, and cultural importance of our coast.
The Georgia Conservancy is a statewide, member-supported conservation organization founded in 1967. Our mission is to protect Georgia through ecological and economic solutions that support healthy lands, thriving communities, and a future where every Georgian can enjoy the outdoors for generations to come. Through land and water conservation, environmental advocacy, coastal protection, sustainable growth initiatives, and outdoor stewardship, we work to safeguard the natural resources that define our state and support its long term prosperity.
Georgia’s coastline is one of the most ecologically rich and least developed on the Eastern Seaboard. Our salt marshes, barrier islands, fisheries, and coastal communities form an interconnected system that sustains wildlife, supports local economies, and defines the identity of our coastal community. Georgia’s recreational and commercial fishing industries are responsible for generating an economic impact of $8.2 billion dollars per year, making any potential impacts devastating for our coastal economy. Offshore drilling has long posed unacceptable risks to these irreplaceable marine resources.
The exclusion of the Atlantic coast from lease sales in this draft program is a significant win for Georgia’s coastal communities, our coastal economy, and the ecosystems that make our coast unique. This outcome is also a testament to years of sustained advocacy and the unified opposition to offshore drilling demonstrated by local governments, business leaders, conservation organizations, and residents across Georgia. We are grateful for the Department’s recognition of these concerns.
As BOEM continues its review, we urge the Department to maintain this exclusion in all future iterations of the program. The threats posed by offshore oil and gas development — including spills, industrialization of coastal waters and inland resources, and long term harm to fisheries and wildlife — remain incompatible with the values and economic priorities of Georgia’s coast. Protecting these waters is essential to safeguarding the natural and economic resilience of our state.
We respectfully request that the Department continue to prioritize the protection of the Atlantic Coast and ensure that no future leasing or exploration activities are considered off Georgia’s shoreline. Thank you again for your thoughtful consideration during development of this draft, for the opportunity to comment, and for protecting our coastline for generations to come.
Sincerely,
Courtney Reich
Coastal Director
Georgia Conservancy