For the past three years, we've been documenting the ecological disaster quietly unfolding on the East Coast. With the support of the U.S. government, the wind energy industry is killing whales and other marine life. [emphasis, links added]
If nothing changes, the wind energy industry will drive North Atlantic right whales to extinction.
It turns out The situation is worse than we imagined.
In the past six months, Investigative reporter Donna Anderson interviews dozens of fishermen, government officials, and scientists to uncover a scandal that is clear: The wind energy industry is destroying fisheries.
People are taking notice. Just today, new york times Published an article documenting growing resistance in the fishery.
Why now? Partly due to the recent collapse of a giant wind turbine blade off the coast of Massachusetts, jagged shards of fiberglass scattered along Nantucket's beaches, threatening the boats of fishermen and local tourists.
Please take a moment to read Donna’s excellent survey below!
— Michael Shellenberger
When offshore wind developers came to his waters, James “Ace” Autry, a commercial fisherman for 50 years, did his best to cooperate.
Autry was a pot fisherman. He caught the bass in a jar eight miles southwest of his hometown of Montauk Harbor, New York. Thirty miles east, near Block Island, Rhode Island, he caught lobster.
The 12-turbine South Fork Wind Farm, located 19 miles southeast of Block Island, was completed on March 24.
The power now reaches shore in East Hampton, New York, via a 66-mile high-voltage export cable.
The cable runs directly across Ottery's two long-standing fishing grounds.
The bass fishing has been good so far this year. But what about lobster? “No sign of life at all” Autry said.
Commercial fishermen across Block Island are telling similar stories. Ever since wind farms came to the ocean, lobsters have been hard to find. Formerly productive scallop beds have died. The cod disappeared.
Top image from screencap/Thrown To The Wind (YouTube)
Reading common break
