Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who represents a district along the Atlantic coast, introduced legislation Friday that would mandate a federal investigation into the role wind energy development may have played in the recent uptick in whale deaths.
Smith’s bill would require immediate, comprehensive investigation into the environmental approval process for offshore wind projects. According to the New Jersey lawmaker, Biden administration officials have ignored his calls for an investigation into the matter and for a moratorium on offshore wind development until the cause of the whale deaths was conclusively determined.
“Nine dead whales have washed up on our beaches since early December, and we still have no meaningful answers from Governor Murphy or the Biden Administration on the broader impact of these projects on the marine environment as they rush to build the largest offshore wind farm in the nation,” Smith said in a statement.
“As part of a full-court press for answers, my legislation will investigate the level of transparency from federal agencies that greenlighted this aggressive offshore wind development and determine how much scrutiny was implemented in reviewing the environmental and maritime safety of this project, especially given its unprecedented size and scale,” he continued.
THIRD DEAD WHALE FOUND MILES FROM OFFSHORE WIND FARM IN LESS THAN A WEEK
Under the legislation, the Government Accountability Office would be ordered to probe the impact of wind projects on whales, finfish, marine mammals, benthic resources, commercial and recreational fishing, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions, vessel traffic, tourism and the sustainability of shoreline beaches and inlets.
The agency would also be required to review whether regulatory agencies have properly consulted with stakeholders when approving wind projects.
On Monday, a 35-foot humpback whale washed up on a beach along the New Jersey coastline located in Smith’s district. It was the ninth such whale to wash ashore in New Jersey or New York over the last two months.
Overall, at least a dozen other whales have been found on beaches across multiple East Coast states including Virginia, Maryland and Delaware.
In light of the uptick in whale deaths, local officials and conservationists have called for an immediate moratorium on all offshore wind development, arguing the construction and seismic testing associated with offshore wind farms may be harming marine life. Twelve mayors in New Jersey penned a letter in January urging federal officials to take action.
Smith has argued that the federal government has a “responsibility to ensure the Jersey Shore’s environmental viability, and any projects that may affect not only whales, but the broader marine ecosystem and the economy it sustains.” The Biden administration and states like New Jersey have pushed for a massive expansion of wind energy in recent years.
However, experts with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management told reporters last month that they haven’t seen evidence offshore wind activity has caused any of the whale deaths.
And some environmental organizations and clean energy advocacy groups have said it is irresponsible to assume offshore wind is harming marine wildlife.
“There is no evidence that these tragic incidents have anything to do with offshore wind activity,” American Clean Power said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Groups opposed to clean energy projects spread baseless misinformation about the role of offshore wind development that has been debunked by scientists and career experts in the environmental and regulatory worlds.”
“We have always worked alongside the environmental community to protect marine life and follow rigorous standards when developing projects. The recent whale strandings are tragic and it’s disheartening to see this tragedy being used as an excuse by clean energy detractors trying to stop the growth of a new energy source for Americans.”