As aggressive excavation and submarine construction of over 1,500 offshore wind-farm turbines continues along the east coast of the United States, whales are likewise stranding, beaching and dying at an alarming and perplexing rate.
Almost 200 whales have been found dead since 2016, when the wind-turbine rush began, representing a fourfold annual increase over past years.
Seven dead whales have been discovered in New Jersey and New York in the past two months. In southeastern Virginia, in one recent week alone, three whales were found dead, just miles from two operational wind farms. Dying species include humpback whales and the endangered North Atlantic right whale, of which fewer than 350 are known to remain.
Citing lack of direct scientific evidence, the federal government and wind-farm advocates in the media say that there is no connection between the dramatic increases in whale deaths and the new wind farm projects they accompany. One ABC News headline declared, “Wind Farms not to Blame for East Coast Whale Deaths.” NOAA Deputy Chief Benjamin Laws affirms, “There are no known connections between any offshore wind activities and any whale strandings.”
Concerned citizens and local officials say otherwise.
“The connection is clear,” one coastal resident told WND. “We have never seen anything like this before, and it’s happening next to the wind farm activities, but because they’re wind farms, nobody cares about the whales. If you speak out for the whales, it’s as if you’re anti-environment.”
Whale deaths increased when in Jan 2014 they rescinded the speed limits. The highest year was 2017 before any wind farm activity started. The Delaware Bay is the 2nd busiest water route in the US, this is merchant shipping, not wind farm vessels.
Too much money for Democrats to stop
But wait – the OC group has just asked to slow down the progress of the windmills. It was during last tuesdays meeting.