At first glance, these groups appear to be grassroots organizations dedicated to protecting a majestic mammal, writes Frederick Hewett. But the truth is that they’re exploiting the right whale’s precarious situation to further a completely different agenda.
Two federal environmental agencies issued plans Thursday to better protect endangered whales amid offshore wind farm development. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released final plans to protect endangered North American right whales, of which there are only about 360 left in the world. The agencies said they are trying to find ways to better protect the whales amid a surge of offshore wind farm projects, particularly on the U.S. East Coast.
The year 2023 has not been a good year for the offshore wind industry, which has seemingly been beset by adversity on all sides. Supply chain disruptions, largely resulting from the COVID pandemic and national efforts to deal with the pandemic, have resulted in material and equipment unavailability and/or delivery delays. Inflation has increased the cost of equipment and the