The $100 Billion Offshore Wind Industry Has a Whale Problem
Dead whales keep washing up on the US Atlantic coast. A coalition of wind opponents, environmentalists and conservatives are blaming offshore wind.
Humpback whales swim in the Atlantic Ocean.
Photographer: Wild Horizons/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
The offshore wind industry has a 40-ton problem on its hands.
Since early December, close to two dozen large whales have washed up on or near beaches on the US Atlantic coast, and about a third of the so-called strandings have occurred on the shores of New Jersey. It’s unclear what exactly is fueling the deaths, but an unlikely coalition of wind opponents, local environmental groups and conservative talk show hosts have zeroed in on offshore wind as the culprit. They argue that projects in development are disrupting marine life and contributing to the unusually high number of deceased whales.