Dead whale washes up in Maryland as environmental activists call for offshore wind investigation
BALTIMORE -- Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) is calling for a moratorium on windmill construction following this week's discovery of a dead whale on Assateague Island.
"We need to take the time to gather proper scientific data, act in full transparency, and not rely upon FAQ platitudes for these projects, their construction, and the impact they may have upon our environment," Harris said in a press statement Thursday.
Federal environmental and energy officials Wednesday said there is no evidence offshore wind expansion is to blame for whale deaths.
Officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say the agency has been studying what it calls an "unusual mortality event" for humpback whales along the East Coast of the U.S. dating back to 2016. Since then, 178 dead whales have washed ashore.
"We wanted the president's attention on this," Cindy Ziph of Clean Ocean Action said regarding a letter the organization wrote to President Joe Biden last week.
The letter called for an investigation and a halt to offshore wind energy development and permitting.
NOAA officials say a 33.8-foot female whale found Monday on Assateague Island has injuries consistent with a vessel strike. But the official cause of death, if ever determined, may take weeks.
Samples were collected on the whale to determine if the lesions consistent with a vessel strike occurred before or after the whale's death.
"Even a vessel strike is still consistent with injury from seismic testing as that testing may interfere with the whale's hearing and senses—some think causing long-lasting damage," Harris said in his statement.
Environmental groups held a press conference Tuesday denouncing what it called "false narratives" connecting the deaths to wind farm expansion.
"Offshore wind is not the tool that deserves the blame," Anjuli Ramos of the Sierra Club said. "It's actually the tool that is going to help us get to curb the impacts of climate change."