Vineyard Wind's blade disaster last year scared Nantucket residents by the debris washing ashore. New research shows normal blade wear releases toxic waste. This calls for a comprehensive review.
Great piece, Allen. Thanks for taking on the blade toxicity issue and for referencing Linda's investigation. For the record, NOAA's standard (and tired) response to suggestions that the increase in whale deaths correlates to OSW construction/surveying is that they are only able to examine roughly half of the deceased whales and of those examined, 40% show signs of vessel strike or line entanglement. The press and public walk away believing that 40% of the overall deaths are caused by these two things, when it's actually 20%. Both are serious concerns for marine mammal survival, as is disease; but they are loath to suggest that the construction might also be contributing to the UME.
When you adhere to an agenda, facts and logic are ignored. Last year, there was a webinar which had sponsorship from URI with a marine mammal expert from the Netherlands discussing underwater noise and behavior issues. Throughout the two hour webinar he kept saying "we don't know" and there was no pushback from the audience of scientists. But he is in the trenches not at the policy level.
Great piece, Allen. Thanks for taking on the blade toxicity issue and for referencing Linda's investigation. For the record, NOAA's standard (and tired) response to suggestions that the increase in whale deaths correlates to OSW construction/surveying is that they are only able to examine roughly half of the deceased whales and of those examined, 40% show signs of vessel strike or line entanglement. The press and public walk away believing that 40% of the overall deaths are caused by these two things, when it's actually 20%. Both are serious concerns for marine mammal survival, as is disease; but they are loath to suggest that the construction might also be contributing to the UME.
Thanks, Bill.
When you adhere to an agenda, facts and logic are ignored. Last year, there was a webinar which had sponsorship from URI with a marine mammal expert from the Netherlands discussing underwater noise and behavior issues. Throughout the two hour webinar he kept saying "we don't know" and there was no pushback from the audience of scientists. But he is in the trenches not at the policy level.