April 6, 2023 — There has to be something that’s contributing to a rash of marine mammal strandings along the New Jersey coastline, officials say. So, what is it?
County, state, and federal officials gathered in Long Branch on Wednesday to call for a pause of offshore wind activity, so that a comprehensive — and unbiased — investigation can be conducted into whether the going-green effort is contributing to the deaths of dozens of dolphins and several whales on New Jersey and New York beaches.
“It’s a simple equation — just stop, investigate, and tell us why,” Monmouth County Commissioner Thomas Arnone told a crowd at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park.
For months, activists and officials have been pushing a not-yet-proven theory that preparation work to get wind turbines along the East Coast is interfering with the normal way of life for marine mammals, resulting in their death.
Environmentalists and New Jersey mayors have sent letters to President Joe Biden and Gov. Phil Murphy, asking for a halt to wind energy progress offshore, at least until it can be proven that acoustic surveys and other activity aren’t directly causing deadly harm to marine life. A moratorium has also been the focus of legislation on the federal level.