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A4 U.S. NEWS
Wednesday 18 January 2023
Groups: ‘No evidence’ offshore wind killing whales in NJ-NY

By WAYNE PARRY porary halt in surveying.
Associated Press “What if these ocean in-
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) dustrial activities were re-
— Environmental and fish- lated to a fossil fuel project
ing groups said Tuesday would that change any-
there is “no evidence” one’s view on a call to ac-
that site preparation work tion?” the statement read.
for offshore wind farms in “When has there ever been
New Jersey and New York this many industrial activi-
is responsible for a spate ties permitted in the region
of whale deaths in the two at the same time?”
states. The latest press conference
Many of New Jersey’s lead- came as Orsted, which will
ing environmental groups build two of the three off-
held a press conference on shore wind farms approved
the Atlantic City Boardwalk so far in New Jersey, de-
directly in front of the local scribed its current work in
office of an offshore wind more detail. In a statement
company to support the to The Associated Press,
industry, and decry what the Danish wind energy
they term a false narrative company said its survey
that the industry’s testing vessels have not struck any
activities are harming or kill- whales, and said the sam-
ing whales. pling methods do not dis-
The issue has become con- turb whales or other marine
tentious since Clean Ocean mammals.
Action, one of New Jersey’s A dead humpback whale lies in the surf in Brigantine N.J., on Jan. 13, 2023. Associated Press “Orsted prioritizes coexis-
leading coastal environ- tence with our communi-
mental groups, held a news change is the greatest marine ecosystem.” said Sunday that prelimi- ties and marine wildlife,”
conference last week with threat to the ocean and “This whole thing is being nary results of a necropsy said Maddy Urbish, the
several community groups the marine mammals liv- brought up as a hypothesis indicate the 32-foot-long company’s head of gov-
opposed to offshore wind, ing in it, and that offshore that has no basis in fact,” female humpback whale ernment affairs and strat-
calling on President Biden wind power is essential to added Capt. Paul Eidman, was hit by a ship. That was egy for New Jersey.
to investigate the deaths moving away from burning a charter boat captain also the suspected cause “The offshore wind industry
of seven whales in the two planet-warming fossil fuels. and head of Anglers for of death for another hump- is subject to the most strin-
states in little over a month. “There is no evidence that Offshore Wind. back that washed ashore gent level of protections
They and several local, any of the recent strand- “I’m concerned by some in neighboring Atlantic City for marine mammals and
state and federal legisla- ings so far have been tied groups’ baseless claims a week earlier. protected species. Every
tors also called for a tem- to offshore wind,” said Alli- that the deaths are linked Two of the seven animals aspect of our surveys, con-

porary halt to offshore wind son McLeod, policy director to surveys operating off our both sperm whales are struction, and operations
preparation work while the for the New Jersey League coast. We don’t know that. considered endangered are reviewed by multiple
whale deaths are investi- of Conservation Voters. There’s no basis in reality for species in the United States. agencies and subject to
gated. “The number one threat to that.” Clean Ocean Action, protective conditions, in-
That call has led to strong the marine environment is Scientists from the Marine which was not at Tuesday’s cluding vessel speeds,
pushback from most of climate change. Offshore Mammal Stranding Cen- press conference, issued a time-of-year restrictions for
the state’s environmental wind is one of the most im- ter in Brigantine, where the statement afterward de- construction activities, and
community, which repeat- portant tools we have to most recent dead whale fending its concern and mandatory protected spe-
edly stressed that climate protect the entirety of our washed ashore last week, reiterating its call for a tem- cies observers.”q

California weather calms but storm

damage seen as extensive

ber of homes and other ed for Wednesday or Thurs- since late December have
structures that will be red- day, followed by a dry pe- caused power outages,
tagged as uninhabitable riod, the National Weather flooding, levee breaks,
could be in the "low thou- Service said. washouts and landslides. At
sands," said Brian Ferguson, Forecasters cautioned that least 20 people have been
spokesperson for the Gov- although the midweek killed.
Stephanie Beard, of Brentwood, carries a sand bag to her ernor's Office of Emergen- rainfall will be light, it could The amount of water in
flooded home on Bixler Road in Brentwood, Calif., on Monday, cy Services. be enough to cause prob- the snowpack covering
Jan. 16, 2023.
Associated Press The damage is spread lems because the state is the Sierra Nevada and
across 41 of California's 58 so saturated. other mountain ranges is
By JOHN ANTCZAK damaging rains, wind and counties, Ferguson said. Flood warnings remained in more than 250% of nor-
Associated Press surf that flooded homes, Light rain and snow show- effect for the Salinas River mal to date and 124% of
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Cali- highways and farm fields, ers lingered in some areas, in Monterey County and the April 1 average, when
fornia's weather was calm- collapsed hillsides and top- but skies were finally largely parts of Mariposa and Mer- the pack is normally at its
er Tuesday after weeks pled countless trees. clear. ced counties in the Central peak, according to the
of atmospheric rivers that Tallying the damage will A shot of precipitation from Valley. state Department of Water
slammed the state with take time, but the num- a quick system was predict- Nine atmospheric rivers Resources.q