Whale Murder: Biden Administration Speeds Ahead with Offshore Wind Despite Concerns

The Biden administration has announced a flurry of plans and regulatory actions to rapidly expand offshore wind development in U.S. waters. The Energy Department’s “Pathways to Commercial Liftoff: Offshore Wind” plan envisions 250,000 MW of offshore wind by 2050 to help achieve net zero emissions, which would require nearly 17,000 giant turbines lining U.S. coasts.

However, critics argue that the administration is rushing ahead without properly assessing the cumulative environmental impacts of such large-scale development. There are concerns about potential harm to marine ecosystems, including impacts on ocean upwelling, sea temperatures, sediment distribution, fish migration and the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale. The plans largely gloss over these risks.

The administration is also being criticized for favoring foreign energy companies in its offshore wind push. Many of the companies securing leases are multi-national entities or even majority foreign government-owned. Lawmakers point out that generous tax incentives will benefit these foreign players while putting domestic commercial fishing at risk.

Fishermen are deeply concerned that large-scale offshore wind development will destroy fishing grounds and make it impossible to safely navigate and fish within lease areas due to issues like radar interference. Some have proposed compensating fishermen for their losses, but fishing advocates say they want to preserve their heritage and livelihoods, not receive payouts.

There are also fears that undermining America’s sustainable fishing industry will make the U.S. more reliant on farmed and wild-caught seafood from countries like Russia and China that have poor environmental and health standards. Some accuse the administration of sacrificing America’s oldest industry, jeopardizing coastal communities, and risking ocean health and domestic food security in a reckless rush towards its offshore wind targets.

While the administration sees offshore wind as essential to its clean energy and climate goals, critics argue it is pursuing an ill-conceived, under-studied plan that could have severe unintended consequences. A group of coastal lawmakers intends to further explore the impacts and trade-offs of offshore wind development at an upcoming hearing. For now, the Biden administration shows no signs of slowing its aggressive push to industrialize America’s oceans with wind turbines.