As the East Coast prepares for a new wave of offshore wind turbines, the recent spate of whale deaths has sparked a heated debate between environmental groups about the role of wind power.
Nine whales, including two sperm whales and seven humpback whales, have been found dead off the coasts of four East Coast states in less than two months, according to federal environmental officials. The discovery of the whales, five of which were beached in New Jersey, has led many environmentalists to call for a halt to offshore wind development until more information is known about their deaths.
“The wave of dead whales is the ocean sounding the alarm and we must heed the warning,” Cindy Zipf, the executive director of Clean Ocean Action, said in a statement. “These tragic multiple deaths of mostly young, endangered whales are of no apparent cause, however, the only new activity in the ocean is the unprecedented concurrent industrial activity by over 11 companies in the region’s ocean, which allows the harassment and harm of tens of thousands of marine mammals.”
However, days later, a series of other environmental groups slammed the calls to halt offshore wind development. They said it would be irresponsible to assume offshore wind infrastructure caused the whale deaths without evidence, but suggested vessel strikes and fishing equipment was to blame.
“Blaming offshore wind projects on whale mortality without evidence is not only irresponsible but overshadows the very real threats of climate change, plastic pollution, and unsustainable fishery management practices to these animals,” Anjuli Ramos-Busot, the New Jersey director of the Sierra Club, said.
President Biden has argued that offshore wind will create jobs and power millions of homes in the future, and the Department of Interior has expanded plans for offshore lease sales for wind development. But the Biden administration has failed to take into account the potential risks to marine life, including endangered species.
Environmental groups like the Center for Biological Diversity have sought a middle ground, suggesting that the current offshore wind development permitting process needed to be scaled back, but not scrapped altogether.
“We believe that it is possible to do offshore wind in a way that does address the real threats to whales,” Brett Hartl, the government affairs director for the Center for Biological Diversity, said. “Part of it is better research, part of it is better sort of standard operating procedures. Part of it may be – frankly, some of the leases that Interior have done and offered in these call areas are probably just too large and too many.”
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As the East Coast states push for aggressive green energy development, it’s becoming clear that more needs to be done to ensure the safety of marine life. The Biden administration and East Coast states should take a step back and consider all possible risks before rushing into offshore wind projects. Otherwise, we may find ourselves in the same situation again in the not-so-distant future.
