WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Mark R. Warner (D-VA) released the following statement today on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s decision not to allow energy exploration in the Atlantic Ocean in its 2017-2022 offshore leasing plan:

“We’ve all been awaiting this decision from the Department of the Interior. I take seriously the concerns the Department of Defense and NASA have raised about the potential impacts of energy exploration and development along the Atlantic coast. I also believe we have to take into account the challenge of securing a fair revenue-sharing agreement for Virginia, and the changed economics surrounding oil and gas development. I look forward to getting a full briefing from the Navy and NASA Wallops about the nature of their concerns.”