The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Nov. 30 issued authorizations to five companies proposing to conduct geophysical surveys for oil and gas exploration in the Atlantic Ocean. The agency said that the authorization permits the companies to “incidentally, but not intentionally, harass marine mammals” as part of their seismic testing. Several states have expressed strong opposition to the administration efforts to expand offshore drilling over concerns of oil spills and threat to coastal economies. In January, the Trump Administration proposed to open more than 90 percent of the outer continental shelf acreage for oil and gas development. California, New Jersey, and Oregon have enacted measures to block drilling off their coasts. The companies that received the authorizations are ION GeoVentures, Spectrum Geo Inc., TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company, WesternGeco LLC, and CGG.