America’s offshore wind industry has an almighty whale of a problem. Sensible folk are no longer enamoured of an industry that is killing the last members of endangered whale species in droves with absolute impunity, thanks to the government-backed licenses that allow them to (quite lawfully) kill an unlimited number of whales, porpoises and dolphins – aka the ‘Incidental Harassment Authorization’.
What’s not lost on the civic-minded is that the entirely unnecessary carnage is the inevitable byproduct of an utterly meaningless power source – heavily subsidised and entirely weather-dependent and, therefore, incapable of delivering power as and when we need it.
Lawful or not, a pointless slaughter is still a slaughter and now that endangered whales are the target, for many it’s a bridge too far.
When this story first broke the petition launched by locals in response had clocked up 250,000 signatures, by 18 March, the number was well over 400,000 and rising.
Anti-Wind Farm Petition Takes Off, Nearing 250K Signatures [By 18 March Over 400,000 Had Signed]
Sea Isle News
Maddy Vitale
4 March 2023
A petition drive that demands a halt on wind farm projects following whale deaths along the coast has collected more than 240,000 signatures so far.
Ocean City wind farm opponent Suzanne Hornick, one of the founders of Protect Our Coast NJ, which began in 2019, said it is time to stop offshore wind acoustic testing.
“Look at all of the people who care. We don’t believe what our government is telling us as residents of the shore and lovers of the ocean,” Hornick said Friday. “We know something is drastically different and wrong here and we need to stop all offshore activity until we know for sure.”
The Danish energy company Orsted plans to build the project, the first wind energy farm along the New Jersey coast, 15 miles offshore between Atlantic City and Stone Harbor.
Gov. Phil Murphy, a strong supporter of offshore wind technology, wants New Jersey to become a leader in green energy. So far, New Jersey has approved three offshore wind farms and is looking to add more. Murphy’s goal is to have offshore wind farms producing 11,000 megawatts of power in New Jersey by 2040.
But it appears that many New Jersey residents are opposed to the wind farms, at least until there is more known about the effects on marine life and migratory birds, not to mention what it may do to tourism, opponents have said.
In the past six weeks, the petition https://www.change.org/p/protect-our-coast-nj-save-the-whales-stop-offshore-wind has garnered more than 245,000 signatures, with a goal of 300,000.
(Note to Ed – Currently over 400,000)
David Stevenson, president of the American Coalition for Ocean Protection (ACOP), has been fighting for ocean protection for years.
He said in an interview Friday that first, there must be a pilot program done prior to a full-on wind farm project. He believes there needs to be further research on the environmental impact.
Stevenson said of the number of signatures on the petition, “It is amazing how it has gotten so many signatures in just six weeks. A moratorium is needed until there is a pilot program.”
The petition was addressed, specifically, to President Joe Biden and Gov. Murphy.
In part, the petition says, “These massive, unprecedented experimental projects have been fast-tracked without meaningful public input, and with all the impacted cities and towns denied the right to home rule by executive action of the Governor of New Jersey.”
It continued, “The proposed offshore wind farms could result in irreversible ecological damage to the marine environment, including the injury or death of thousands of marine species, and as a result, greatly diminish the quality of life in our coastal communities.”
“These projects are projected to reduce shore residents’ property values, curtail tourism, severely affect the fishing, boating, and hospitality industries, greatly increase energy costs to New Jersey ratepayers, and provide no tangible benefits to the people of the State of New Jersey,” the petition concludes.
Hornick is hopeful that Biden could do something in his executive power to stop the project from going forward until further is known about what is leading to whale deaths.
“I am hoping, at the very least, that the petition will cause an immediate halt to offshore activity, because we feel very strongly that there is an absolute connection between the offshore wind acoustic testing and the unusually high number of dolphins and whale deaths,” she said.
Among the recent whale deaths according to Protectourcoastnj.com are as follows:
- Dead Whale at Seaside Park 3-2-2023
- Dead Whale at Manasquan 2-13-2023
- Dead Whale at Brigantine Beach 1-12-2023
- Dead Whale at Atlantic City Beach 1-7-2023
- Dead Whale at Atlantic City Beach 12-23-2022
- Dead Whale at Rockaway Beach 12-13-2022; 6th large whale to strand in New York since 10-20-22
- Dead Whale at Strathmere Beach 12-10-2022
- Dead Whale at Amagansett Beach 12-9-2022
- Dead Whale at Keansburg Beach 12-5-2022
For more information about Protect Our Coast NJ, visit protectourcoastnj.com
Sea Isle News
STOP THESE THINGS 
Demand a comprehensive quantitative life-cycle system engineering study before any project starts, especially a large one.
“Never start a vast project with half-vast plans.”
It was oil from shale that saved whales in the 19 th century. Whale oil had been the only or main source of oil for illumination and lubrication.
Now the drive to stop the use of geological oil means the whales can join birds and bats as acceptable collateral victims.