The federal environmental agencies released plans on Thursday to improve the conservation of endangered whales in light of the development of offshore wind farms in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

This decision was made as two companies involved in offshore wind energy revealed they were exchanging their respective projects.

The final plans to safeguard the endangered North American right whales, of which there are currently only around 360 remaining worldwide, were released by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The organizations stated that they are working to discover methods for increased safeguarding of whales in light of the growing number of offshore wind farm developments, specifically on the eastern coast of the United States. They intend to search for solutions to lessen any potential negative effects of these projects on the whales and their environment.

The approach will employ AI and passive acoustic tracking to identify the location of whales and observe the effects of wind development on these creatures.

The text suggests avoiding giving offshore wind leases in zones where right whales may be greatly affected, setting noise restrictions during construction, promoting research for new methods to minimize harm, and prioritizing quieter technology and practices for offshore wind development.

They also aim to perform thorough sound field checks for offshore wind activities to guarantee that noise levels do not exceed expectations.

An hour before Equinor and BP revealed their plans to trade leases for offshore wind projects in New York and Massachusetts, news of the swap was released.

Equinor will acquire full ownership of the Empire Wind lease and associated projects, while BP will gain full ownership of the Beacon Wind lease and projects, as per the agreement.

The businesses stated that the exchange would result in a “financially balanced transaction,” however Equinor mentioned it would incur a deficit of approximately $200 million.

Pal Eitrheim, an executive vice president at Equinor, stated that they have gained complete control of a well-established, extensive offshore wind venture in a significant energy market. They have also successfully established a robust local team in the area.

In 2017, Equinor was awarded the lease for Empire Wind and in 2019, they also secured the Beacon Wind lease. BP acquired a 50% stake in both projects in 2020.

Despite accusations from critics, offshore wind projects are not the main cause of the recent increase in whale fatalities along the East Coast. According to various governmental and scientific organizations, climate change poses a greater risk to right whales. These agencies have found no proof that the construction of offshore wind farms is directly harming or causing the deaths of whales. Many of the fatalities can be attributed to collisions with ships or getting caught in fishing equipment.

Out of the remaining 360 right whales in the ocean, there are only 70 females who are able to reproduce.

The agencies released a statement stating that climate change is impacting all aspects of the survival of right whales. This includes altering their ocean habitat, migratory patterns, prey availability and location, and increasing the chances of being caught in fishing gear or hit by vessels.

NOAA released a distinct report on Monday indicating that there were a total of 67 confirmed incidents of large whales getting caught in fishing gear across the country in 2022, the most recent year with available data. This number has decreased slightly from the previous year and is also below the average of 71 incidents per year, according to the agency.

Aside from being struck by vessels and getting tangled in fishing equipment, which are the main reasons for the mortality and harm of right whales, there are other factors contributing to the current decline of their population. These include low survival rates among females, a disproportionate number of males, and low rates of calving. Additionally, the limited genetic diversity of the species is a result of its small size, as noted by the agencies.

In September 2023, it was reported by the two agencies that there were 30 lease areas for offshore wind along the East Coast. 18 of these areas have already submitted construction and operations plans to BOEM for projects on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf, with some currently being built in Massachusetts and New York.

The organizations stated that although floating technology may be used in future offshore leasing plans, all current projects are expected to utilize fixed foundation turbines.

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Source: wral.com