Nor’easter

Tough times for New Jersey offshore wind proponents

Aseries of humpback whale strandings on Mid-Atlantic beaches during December into January gave offshore wind opponents an opening to promote one of their key charges: that sea oor surveys for planning the turbine arrays already threaten endangered marine mammals.

Clean-ocean advocates, commercial shermen and activists from New Jersey beachside resort towns issued a demand for a “thorough, transparent investigation of these whale deaths performed by federal agencies with independent, third-party scientist oversight” and “a hard stop to all current in-water activity by the offshore wind industry, until the investigation is complete.”

Environmental groups that support wind power swung into action. Allison McLeod of the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters said observers on offshore wind survey vessels had reported no whale encounters and “it is therefore irresponsible to assign blame to offshore wind energy development before a routine full investigation is completed.”

Wind power critics led by the New Jersey group Clean Ocean Action contend the animals could have been harmed by vessels that tow survey equipment and sample the sea oor for developers planning to install wind turbines and power cables off New Jersey.

Federal of cials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management jumped into the public relations fray a few days later with a telephone press conference for reporters.

“I want to be unambiguous: There is no information supporting that any of the equipment used in support of offshore wind development could directly lead to the death of a whale,” said Benjamin Laws, deputy chief for permits and conservation with NOAA Fisheries Of ce of Protected Resources.

BOEM of cials — who oversee offshore oil and gas development as well in the Gulf of Mexico — said the survey tools used for wind projects off the East Coast are akin to sonar rather than the loud acoustic signals used for oil exploration.

Wind developers have permits issued by NOAA under the Marine Mammal Protection Act that allow offshore work that may cause “incidental” harassment of whales, but not physical harm.

Critics continue to challenge that explanation, contending that even sub-lethal effects of sound can affect whales, potentially disorienting them and putting them in danger. Two whales beached in New Jersey were found to have injuries from vessel strikes. NOAA of cials say an increasing population of whales in the New York Bight close to vessel traf c may be one factor.

While the whales debate loomed large, nance and public policy questions played into New Jersey’s impending third offshore wind solicitation, which will move the state closer toward Gov. Phil Murphy’s goal of 11,000 megawatts of potential.

BY DANIEL J. HOERNER