Saving Seafood

US government watchdog to investigate impacts of offshore wind development

June 21, 2023 — A U.S. government watchdog agency will investigate the impact of offshore wind development on the fishing industry and the environment at the behest of congressional Republicans.

In March 2023, Republicans began a push for more federal scrutiny of efforts by the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden to advance offshore wind projects along the U.S. East Coast, culminating in a request to the Government Accountability Office (GAO) – an independent agency that conducts investigations and audits for Congress – to conduct a study on the sufficiency of the environmental review processes for offshore wind projects.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

NEW JERSEY: Offshore wind foes in New Jersey gathering force legally and politically

June 21, 2023 — Opponents of offshore wind energy projects in New Jersey are gathering force legally and politically as they seek to snuff out the nascent industry.

Within the last week, three residents groups sued New Jersey over a key approval of its first planned wind farm; the research arm of Congress agreed to investigate the impact of offshore wind on the environment and other areas; and lawmakers in two counties most heavily impacted by wind farms stepped up their efforts to block the projects.

Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach, and Protect Our Coast NJ filed an appeal Friday in state Superior Court of New Jersey’s determination that the Ocean Wind I project is consistent with state coastal management rules.

The project is New Jersey’s first, and a U.S. subsidiary of Danish wind developer Orsted could begin construction this year if remaining approvals are obtained.

Read the full article at WHYY

NEW JERSEY: Atlantic County commissioners seek offshore wind delay, not moratorium

June 21, 2023 — The Atlantic County Board of Commissioners passed an amended resolution on offshore wind Tuesday, eliminating a request for a moratorium on the new technology and instead supporting a new federal investigation and more public comment time on the Atlantic Shores South project.

“In light of recent events — the announcement of a federal investigation into the impact of offshore wind development … I’d like to offer a few amendments so we don’t muddy the waters,” said Republican Commissioner Richard Dase, one of two sponsors of the resolution.

The board then amended the resolution to remove requests for a moratorium and to instead support a federal investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office into “matters relating to the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development” in the northern Atlantic between Maine and New Jersey

Read the full article at The Press of Atlantic City

Critics sue to challenge New Jersey Ørsted Ocean Wind 1 project

June 20, 2023 — Three groups in coastal New Jersey communities filed a new lawsuit against state environmental regulators and offshore wind developer Ørsted seeking to overturn state approvals for the Ocean Wind 1 project.

Community organizers in Ocean City, Brigantine and Long Beach Island, N.J., filed the action in New Jersey state appeals court, they said in an announcement June 16.  

Ørsted’s planned layout of 98 wind turbines, each about 900 feet tall within nine to 15 miles of the beach,  “will be fully visible from New Jersey’s beaches and will crush and destroy the seabed, each tower weighing up to five million pounds,” according to the groups Save LBI, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protect Our Coast NJ.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NEW JERSEY: NJ offshore wind industry impacts to be scrutinized by feds: Rep. Chris Smith

June 16, 2023 — The federal Government Accountability Office, a Congressional watchdog, agreed this week to investigate impacts from New Jersey’s offshore wind farm industry, according to New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).

In particular, the agency will look at the industry’s impacts on the environment, commercial fishing industry, military operations and marine vessel safety, Smith said.

Smith called for the agency to investigate the industry earlier this year while raising concerns about a rash of whale deaths off New Jersey’s coast. So far, no wind turbine construction has started, but offshore wind companies have mapped the ocean floor and tested soils in their lease areas.

Read the full article at app.

Congressional watchdog agency to probe offshore wind impacts

June 16, 2023 — The independent watchdog agency of Congress agreed Thursday to look into the impacts that offshore wind development could have on the environment, fishing industry and other areas.

In a letter to U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the U.S. Government Accountability Office said it would “review matters relating to the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development” in the northern Atlantic area between Maine and New Jersey. It said the review would include impacts on “infrastructure and vessel traffic.”

It fulfilled a major demand of citizen groups and elected officials opposed to offshore wind energy.

They cite the deaths of 50 whales off the U.S. East Coast since December, although three federal scientific agencies say there is no evidence linking offshore wind preparations to the whale deaths.

Further details of the inquiry are not available, said Chuck Young, a spokesman for the GAO, a nonpartisan research agency for Congress on government operations.

Read the full article at the Associated Press

States and clean energy: 3 issues to watch

June 16, 2023 — Statehouses across the country are enacting new energy laws this year, tackling issues that will directly affect President Joe Biden’s climate agenda even as Congress stands divided.

New laws signed in recent months and proposals still under consideration may affect the growth trajectory of low-carbon technologies including offshore wind and rooftop solar. In many cases, state plans may evolve over time along with national programs.

For emerging technologies like hydrogen, state lawmakers are trying to manage how the Biden administration’s ambitions will play out locally. Democrats have largely tried to implement Biden’s big-picture vision for promoting those technologies, while Republicans have sought to apply the brakes in some cases.

The state action is happening during an important period of implementation for last year’s Inflation Reduction Act and the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

“We expected states to look into follow-on” laws that would respond to policies contained in the Inflation Reduction Act, said Frank Wolak, CEO of the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association.

More laws of that kind are likely to emerge in additional state legislatures, he added. “I expect there’ll be others interested.”

The Treasury Department has recently rolled out guidance on how tax credits from the IRA could be claimed for rooftop solar projects and for U.S.-made offshore wind parts. And the Department of Energy is slated to award up to $7 billion of infrastructure funds for the first hubs of low-carbon hydrogen production, storage, transport and consumption this fall, for instance.

Both parties are angling to bring billions of dollars in infrastructure law funds to their states to support the first large demonstrations of low-carbon hydrogen. They include Republicans in Mississippi and North Dakota as well as Democrats in Hawaii and Washington.

Read the full article at E&E News

NEW JERSEY: Whale Deaths Aside, Here’s Why New Jersey’s Offshore Wind Farm Is Still Controverial

June 16, 2023 — While New Jersey politicians fight over whether or not sonar mapping of the ocean floor off the coast of New Jersey is impacting marine mammals, the ongoing project remains controversial even without taking that matter into consideration.

As the world strives to transition to clean and sustainable energy sources, offshore wind energy has emerged as a promising solution. With its vast coastline and proximity to major population centers, New Jersey has become a focal point for the development of offshore wind projects.

However, like any ambitious undertaking, the journey towards harnessing this renewable resource has been accompanied by controversy and challenges. In this blog post, we will explore the offshore wind energy controversy in New Jersey, examining the key stakeholders, concerns raised, and the potential benefits it holds for the state.

Offshore wind energy has gained significant traction as a viable renewable energy source due to several advantages, according to supporters.

Read the full article at Shore News Network

OREGON: Oregon governor, members of Congress call for pause on offshore wind turbines

June 14, 2023 — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek is joining a chorus of voices — including tribes and commercial fishermen — urging the Biden administration to slow down its push for floating wind farms in the Pacific Ocean off the state’s southern coast.

In a letter sent June 9 to Elizabeth Klein, director of the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, Kotek asked the agency to pause identifying and leasing offshore wind areas in order to fully evaluate impacts on the environment and economy.

The letter was also signed by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and Reps. Val Hoyle and Suzanne Bonamici, all Democrats.

Read the full article at Capital Press

Renegotiating choice: Protect ratepayers or push clean energy?

June 14, 2023 –A top regulator in Rhode Island is raising concerns about the way offshore wind developers are seeking to renegotiate the financial terms of their projects, saying policymakers are facing a harsh choice between protecting the interests of ratepayers and promoting the generation of electricity considered vital in the battle against climate change.

Ronald Gerwatowski, the chair of the Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission and the state’s Energy Facilities Siting Board, made his comments at the end of a 2½-hour hearing on Monday dealing with SouthCoast Wind, a project that secured a power purchase agreement in Massachusetts that the developer is now seeking to terminate so it can rebid the project at much higher prices in a procurement slated for next year. The project is before Rhode Island regulators because it seeks to run a transmission line connecting the wind farm to Massachusetts via Rhode Island.

Read the full article at the New Bedford Light