WindAction | Potential impact of wind farms on monarch butterflies understudied, experts say

A recent draft environmental impact study of the impact of offshore wind turbines in the New York Bight — the ocean waters off New York and New Jersey — made only brief and passing mention of the monarchs, which congregate on South Shore beaches as part of their annual fall southern migration. The draft environmental review by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management precedes the next wave of offshore wind turbines planned for the bight, where Empire Wind 1 could see turbines spinning off Jones Beach in two years. Developer Equinor recently stalled plans for a second wave of turbines called Empire 2. But five other projects are planned for tens of thousands of acres of ocean, some just off the coast of New Jersey. In a message in response to Newsday questions, BOEM spokesman Lissa Eng downplayed the potential impact to the butterflies, which are listed as a “candidate” for an endangered species act classification.

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