Studies/Articles/Documentation
Effects of offshore wind farm noise on marine mammals and fish.
ALL wind energy sites are located directly in the Atlantic Flyway, an airspace that 500 bird species (both shore birds and sea birds are at risk) use for migration!!
LINK: Much of the Atlantic Flyway is over or close to the Atlantic Waters of the East Coast. The Audobon Society and the US Fish & Wildlife Service acknowledge wind turbines kill up to 500,000 birds per year. Take a look at the American Wind Wildlife information Center’s Summary of Bird Fatality Monitoring Data.
https://rewi.org/resources/awwic-bird-technical-report/
A list of the Incidental Take Authorizations for renewable energy activities
NOAA’s Incidental TAKE Authorization (ITA) Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
NOAA’s Chief of Endangered Species Dr. Sean Hayes: "Not only the construction but also the operation of wind turbines could result in extinction."
LETTER: NOAA’s own Chief of Endangered Species Dr. Sean Hayes bravely sounded the alarm, writing this letter to Lead Biologist at BOEM, noting that not only the construction but also the operation of wind turbines could result in extinction.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:98d6e6e5-365b-4c96-9877-a35287079e43
Acoustician finds federal agencies are underestimating the impact to whales from offshore wind development. “This investigation discovered a substantial underestimation of both impulsive and continuous noise levels by current regulatory standards, suggesting that the actual exposure to harmful noise levels from pile driving for marine mammals like the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale is substantially greater than NMFS [National Marine Fisheries Service] acknowledges in its existing protective measures”
INVESTIGATION: Research by Rand Acoustics, acoustics consultancy company, shows there is a lack of adequate protections for whales that migrate along this corridor where offshore wind energy surveys and developments are taking place. Last year, after unprecedented whale deaths Rand produced an independent investigation of underwater noise levels from geo-survey vessels working for offshore wind energy companies.
The study found that the incidental harassment authorizations do not impose sufficient mitigation requirements to protect marine animals. He sent the findings off to the NOAA & BOEM, but never received any response.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:0cc53bea-cb1e-44aa-8090-3f1a63690707
STUDY: His latest study surveyed the noise from pile driving, which is when developers drive a giant steel monopile into the seabed by pounding on it. He took sound measurements as the 5000-pound, 700-foot long pile-driving vessel Orion was driving monopiles into seabed off the coasts of Nantucket Island for the Vineyard Wind project.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:045aebac-7a0f-4fb4-ad5e-7c613f80a538
ALL proposed wind energy sites are located directly in the Endangered Right Whales’ migration route - as well as other whales’ routes.
STUDY: Ocean Wind Power Ecological Baseline Studies Vol3, Table 5-3 and 5-4. Section 5.2.2.2 “The North Atlantic right whale calls were detected located 12NM from shore at a depth of 79ft.” This study shows that sensitive marine mammals call the NJ lease sites home.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:d29a677c-70bd-4752-a350-fff432c76e2a
Local "Environmental Conservation Organizations" (ENGO’s) have accepted grants/donations from the offshore wind industry in exchange for their silence!!
DOCUMENTATION: Many environmental conservation organizations (ENGO’s) have accepted donations from the offshore wind industry. These donations represent a conflict of interest for groups that should be holding wind companies accountable. Many of these groups have released statements in favor of offshore wind, or declined to comment. All documentation of these conflicts of interest can be found at the link below.
Offshore Wind will have ZERO impact on Global Warming
STUDY: Summary of Activities and the Associated Impact-Producing Factors for Air Quality - ”Overall, it is anticipated that there would be no collective impact on global warming as a result of offshore wind projects, including the Proposed Action alone, though they may beneficially contribute to a broader combination of actions to reduce future impacts from climate change.”
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:3859edff-107a-4aa0-8620-54740b861707
Offshore Wind can cause "Radar Interference". It is a threat to national security.
STUDY: "Radar Interference Analysis for Renewable Energy Facilities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf". BOEM’ Radar Interference Report created in collaboration with DOD, DOE, FAA and NOAA after "Offshore Wind" development began to accelerate.
https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:0f805ec7-aa0f-4c5f-9a63-b47b8e13e60b
Offshore wind can affect "Submarine Detection Censors"
ARTICLE: "Sweden rejects Baltic Sea wind farms, citing defense concerns".
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/sweden-rejects-baltic-sea-wind-farms-citing-defence-concerns-2024-11-04/