Increase in whale deaths along the East Coast prompts heated discussion over offshore wind among conservationists

By  Thomas Catenacci          

January 25, 2023 4:57 pm EST

                               Environmental groups have been engaged in a heated discussion over the impact of offshore wind projects as a result of the recent increase in endangered whale mortality along the East Coast.

Federal environmental officials report that nine whales, including two sperm whales and seven humpback whales, have been discovered dead in less than two months off the coastlines of four East Coast states. Five of the whales were found beached in New Jersey, prompting calls from environmentalists for a moratorium on offshore wind projects until more is known about the whales' deaths.

The executive director of Clean Ocean Action, Cindy Zipf, said in a statement on January 9 that "the surge of dead whales is the ocean sounding the alarm and we must heed the warning." The only recent activity in the ocean is the unprecedented concurrent industrial activity by over 11 companies in the region's ocean, which permits the harassment and harm of tens of thousands of marine mammals. These tragic multiple deaths of mostly young, endangered whales are of no apparent cause.

Furthermore, offshore wind development projects have been irresponsibly accelerated by federal and state entities, Zipf continued. "These three converging circumstances create concerns, and the kind of action we are requesting is a responsible and acceptable reaction."

Protect Our Coast NJ, Save Long Beach Island, and Defend Brigantine Beach were among the organisations that joined forces with Clean Ocean Action to demand an investigation and a "hard stop" on all ongoing offshore wind industry development activities as well as all wind development permitting activities. President Biden received a letter from the groups outlining their expectations.

The current offshore wind development process is "critically lacking in adequate communication, sufficient time allowed for public understanding and input, and rigorous research," according to Lisa Daidone, president of Defend Brigantine Beach. This will have negative effects on our economy, ecology, environment, marine mammals, including endangered species, and the health and wellbeing of our residents.

Days later, however, a number of other environmental organisations, including the League of Conservation Voters (LCV), Surfrider Foundation, and Clean Water Action, backed by the Sierra Club, denounced the demands to stop offshore wind development. They speculated that vessel hits and fishing equipment were to blame, but cautioned against making the assumption that offshore wind infrastructure was to blame for the whale fatalities in the absence of any supporting data.

Anjuli Ramos-Busot, the Sierra Club's New Jersey director, stated on January 13 that "blaming offshore wind projects on whale mortality on the basis of speculation without evidence is not only irresponsible but obscures the very real threats of climate change, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishery management practises to these animals."

Allison McLeod, the policy director for New Jersey LCV, continued, "New Jersey LCV continues to push for prudent offshore wind development that is in full compliance with the Marine Mammal Protection Act." "Ship hits and entanglements from abandoned fishing gear continue to be a problem for our marine species, but we are certain that the specialists involved will identify an exact cause of death for each of the creatures."

Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey declared earlier this month that the state's administration will look into the excessive whale fatalities.

Additionally, a news conference was scheduled to discuss the matter on January 18 by government representatives from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The authorities stated that although no whale fatality has yet been linked to offshore wind activity, they are investigating the causes of death for the nine whales that were recently spotted.

Throughout the life cycle of offshore wind energy projects, NOAA Fisheries is committed to avoiding threats to protected resources, ecosystems, and controlled fisheries, according to NOAA spokesperson Lauren Gaches.

However, some environmental organisations have attempted to reach a compromise, arguing that the present approval procedure for offshore wind projects needed to be pared back but not completely abandoned.

Brett Hartl, the government affairs director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said in an interview with Fox News Digital, "I'm doubtful that either side is true." "Environmental organisations have said that wind is clearly not the source of this, while other organisations have stated the opposite. These things take a long time to find out; necropsies and autopsies will be performed."

He said, "I believe both sides were being more than a little bit careless in their language about what is driving this in the recent discussion in New Jersey.

The Center for Biological Diversity submitted comments to BOEM last year warning of the dangers offshore wind projects present to various marine mammals. The Center for Biological Diversity has taken a hardline stance against a wide range of projects that threaten endangered species and wildlife.

The association will continue to promote responsible wind growth, according to Hartl.

He told Fox News Digital, "We think there is a method to conduct offshore wind that actually address the main dangers to whales. "Better research and improved standard operating procedures both play a role in this. Sincerity be damned, some of the leases Interior has completed and made available in these call regions are perhaps just too big and numerous."

Hartl continued, "We shouldn't presume a wind deployment that overlooks all the other really significant values of the ocean. "Sullivan has to be reevaluated by the Biden administration to adequately address these risks,"

However, as part of its climate agenda, the Biden administration and East Coast states like New Jersey continue to push for aggressive renewable energy development, including offshore wind projects.

President Biden stated in July that offshore wind will eventually power millions of households and provide employment. Along the country's eastern and western coastlines as well as in the Gulf of Mexico, the Department of Interior has increased its plans for offshore lease sales for wind power.

According to BOEM, there are now three offshore wind projects being built in federal seas off the coast of New York and another four projects being built in federal waters off the coast of New Jersey.

Under the terms of a Creative Commons licence, this article has been taken from FOX NEWS. Go here to read the original article.