More than 80 people turned out Thursday for a public hearing held by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on an impact statement outlining the rules for searching offshore. Almost 25 people spoke and three quarters of them favored allowing the searches to proceed.

 

Opponents worried that the use of sonic equipment to study the ocean floor could affect whales and other marine mammals.

 

The agency is wrapping up two weeks of hearings along the East Coast on the impact statement. A similar hearing was held in Wilmington, Del., on Thursday and a final hearing is set for Atlantic City, N.J., on Friday.