Do they think we're idiots!

[george]

They're getting ready to approve the killing of more whales

AGENCY:​

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce.

ACTION:​

Proposed rule; proposed letter of authorization; request for comments.

SUMMARY:​

NMFS has received a request from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC (Atlantic Shores), a joint venture between EDF–RE Offshore Development LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF Renewables, Inc.) and Shell New Energies US LLC, for Incidental Take Regulations (ITR) and associated Letters of Authorization (LOAs) pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals over the course of 5 years (2025–2029) incidental to the construction of Atlantic Shores South located offshore of New Jersey within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lease Area OCS–A 0499 (Lease Area) and associated ECCs (ECR Area). Atlantic Shores South would be divided into two projects: Project 1 and Project 2 (the combined hereafter referred to as the “Project Area”) and Atlantic Shores has requested a 5-year LOA for each Project, both issued under these proposed regulations. Atlantic Shores' activities likely to result in incidental take include impact and vibratory pile driving and site assessment surveys using high-resolution geophysical (HRG) equipment within the Lease Area and Export Cable Corridor (ECC). NMFS requests comments on its proposed rule. NMFS will consider public comments prior to making any final decision on the promulgation of the requested ITR and issuance of the LOA; agency responses to public comments will be summarized in the final rule documenting our decision.

The entire application can be found here

 

[Avenger]

So if I'm following the last three posts correctly, I see pandering to the monied interests of the commercial fishing industry with zero concession to long-term habitat destruction. Just "Oh, sorry. You couldn't scrape the ocean floor because we were already doing it? Here's a few bucks to shut you up before you're prevented from fishing anywhere and your entire industry is obliterated by decree." Oh, BTW, you rec guys don't count because you can prove damages and you're just a buch of rich usurper yacht owners anyway.

I'm not familiar with the Hartz Mountain vs DEP case. However I might presume that a company that makes pet products is not a real estate developer. So good on whoever won this round that proves that you can't be forced into the grey gulag of the government and monied-intersest's convenience. If they sued to protect the view then I'm going to go out and buy a buch of flea collars even though I haven't had fleas in,... well,.. ever,... but still I'd buy their products just to support them.

If they were the developers that the DEC stopped, well then my pets can go scratch. Literally.

Last post,... the usual question of what happened to saving the whales? I guess the fantasy that big government support of big contracts to big corporations is going to save the world overrides the petty concerns of a few marine mammals. The ends justify the means.

 

[captmike28]

The dead whale at foundation AN 09​

One of Orsted's foundations for South Fork Wind; the resting place for another East Coast whale​

View attachment 67783

#70

The more you see . . . The worse it gets

Related to this photo is the other scenario we have all been dreading ever since this sick plan was hatched.

I have posted previously that when I received the first notification of the location of the South Fork Wind Farm and saw it was planned to be located right on Coxes Ledge, I was furious. I went to one of the public comment sessions in East Hampton with my charts in hand showing the so called " learned scientists" they were going to be adversely affecting a rich fishing ground being worked by a multitude of fisherman from at least 4 surrounding states. Also, a spot that has provided a viable income and food for many generations of people. They claimed almost total ignorance of where they were about to begin their own environmental destruction!!!

Now. I see the attached photo posted on another site today showing the same damn platform with a "happy angler" showing off the Cod he just caught with the platform foundation in the background. I wonder how many more Cod will be left once this debacle is over.

 

[george]

The Rare Rissos Dolphin washes up on Long Island​

Nothing Happening Here Folks . . . Move on​

In the realm of marine stranding, we frequently encounter some species, while others appear only rarely. Over the weekend, our team was called to Heckscher State Park to aid a stranded Risso’s dolphin calf. Although the presence of Risso’s dolphins in New York waters isn’t entirely out of the ordinary, it’s unusual for them to be found inshore. They usually inhabit pelagic environments in deeper, offshore waters, especially near the continental shelf edge. Here, they display their deep-diving prowess, reaching depths of 1,000 feet or more! AMSEAS boasts several team members who were at the forefront of the nation’s first successful release of a juvenile Risso’s dolphin after its rehabilitation.

This particular dolphin was unmistakably young. The most immediate clue was its size: while adult Risso’s can be anywhere from 8.5-13 feet long, this one was about 6.5 feet. Age indicators also included its coloration. Calves like this one are dark with minimal scarring, whereas adult Risso’s dolphins turn from light brown to almost white and carry numerous scars from teeth rake marks made by their peers.

Interestingly, the construction of a wind farm in the northeast might be influencing the behavior or movement patterns of certain marine species, which could potentially lead to more strandings or altered behaviors. We will be monitoring the situation closely.

If you spot a Risso’s dolphin (or any marine mammal or sea turtle), please email us at [email protected]. And if you come across any stranded whales, dolphins, seals, or sea turtles, call the NYS Stranding Hotline right away: 631-369-9829.

 

[dsedy]

New York Refuses To Give Big Oil More Money For Offshore Wind Projects | OilPrice.com

New York state authorities have rejected a request by three energy giants to raise the price of electricity in future power purchase contracts featuring offshore wind energy.

oilprice.com

The New York Public Service Commission said that if they had agreed to do what the wind developers wanted, that would have added 6.7% to New Yorkers’ electricity bills, which are already among the highest in the State.

 

[dsedy]

New York Refuses To Give Big Oil More Money For Offshore Wind Projects | OilPrice.com

New York state authorities have rejected a request by three energy giants to raise the price of electricity in future power purchase contracts featuring offshore wind energy.

oilprice.com

The New York Public Service Commission said that if they had agreed to do what the wind developers wanted, that would have added 6.7% to New Yorkers’ electricity bills, which are already among the highest in the State.

Thing is, i doubt it was only a 6.7% increase.... probably more like 60%. NYPSC wouldn't flinch at 6%.

 

[Roccus7]

Some very interesting points in this release.

1. They really avoided key lobster and finfish grounds. BTW depths in Fathoms, so avoiding the key fishing/lobster grounds pushed sites into very deep water, dictating floating, not fixed platforms.
2. Dates are being pushed way out
3. The delays continue to push prices up, making offshore wind ventures less interesting to corporations. Pretty soon it will be a Groucho Paradigm, Nobody will want to join this club.
   

Feds identify Gulf of Maine area for offshore wind​

The 3.5 million-acre area excludes lobster fishing grounds and all right whale restricted areas.

The Biden administration announced Thursday that it has identified a 3.5 million-acre wind energy site in the Gulf of Maine that excludes lobster fishing grounds and right whale areas, drawing praise from environmentalists, the lobster industry and organized labor.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s draft wind energy area covers offshore Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, ranging from about 23 to 120 miles off the coast. Wind power will not likely be generated in the area until at least the next decade.


Its capacity of more than 40 gigawatts, enough to power millions of homes, exceeds the current combined offshore wind energy planning goals for Gulf of Maine states that include 10 gigawatts for Massachusetts and 3 gigawatts for Maine. Adjustments to the draft are likely following public comment.

A group of fishing interests, labor unions and environmental organizations that sought a compromise said they scored a victory with the BOEM’s exclusion of nearly an entire fishing ground called Lobster Management Area 1.

“This is how the process is supposed to work,” said Virginia Olsen, executive director of Maine Lobstering Union Local 207.

“Maine is showing that when diverse voices come to the table, we can work together to advance a new clean energy industry for Maine that bolsters our economy and creates the large amounts of offshore wind we need to power the future,” said Jack Shapiro, climate and clean energy director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine.

Excluding Lobster Management Area 1 from the draft shows that sustaining Maine’s fishing industries and creating a long-term source of clean energy and well-paying union jobs are not mutually exclusive, said Francis Eanes, executive director of the Maine Labor Climate Council.

The earliest that commercial wind projects would be installed will probably be in the early- to mid-2030s, following extensive planning by wind-power developers and detailed federal review of the proposals, Shapiro said.

The size of the lobster management area is not clear. Federal officials last year issued a request-of-interest to gauge a potential market for wind energy leases in a 13.7 million-acre area, or nearly four times the size of the draft area most recently identified by BOEM. The agency then scaled back the site to a “draft call area” of 9.9 million acres.

BOEM cited President Biden’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035. Industry analysts are skeptical. Researcher BloombergNEF has pared back its outlook to 16.4 gigawatts by the end of the decade from a June forecast of 23.1 gigawatts in 2030.

Rising costs for steel and other components, higher interest rates and other challenges are taking a toll on the wind energy industry. Electric utility Avangrid announced Oct. 2 that it was ending power purchase agreements with Connecticut’s utilities for a project in the state’s largest city, Bridgeport, and would rebid the project. It cited inflation, supply chain disruptions and sharp interest rate hikes that made the project “unfinanceable under its existing contracts.”

Companies have taken large write-downs because of the increased costs and a reluctance by regulators to approve rate increases. Eversource reported a $331 million after-tax impairment charge in the second quarter for its offshore wind operations, and Orsted announced a potential $2.3 billion charge on its U.S. portfolio, Bloomberg News reported.

The BOEM has opened a 30-day period for public review and comment. To comment, go to regulations.gov and search for docket number BOEM-2023-54.

 

[OVERBORED]

Coastal New Jersey county and groups sue to block federal approval of offshore wind farm

New Jersey’s Cape May County joined with environmental and fishing industry groups to sue the federal government in a bid to overturn its approval of the state's first offshore wind energy farm.

www.pbs.org

 

[OVERBORED]

 

[pequa1]

Saw some humpbacks and two North Atlantic Right Whales (of the 350 estimated left worldwide ) in the Bay of Fundy last week. Also saw some windmills (1 of 5 not turning) off what I think was Block Island (?)

 

[OVERBORED]

Never seen all of them working at once. I often see none of them running.

 

[george]

Never seen all of them working at once. I often see none of them running.

Same here.

 

[Matts]

apparently, they take some of them down for maintenance on a staggered schedule.

 

[george]

The Pipe Dream​

Achieving President Biden's offshore wind targets has become increasingly challenging.

Biden aimed for 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power by 2030, both to reduce greenhouse emissions and create jobs. However, escalating interest rates and supply chain issues have inflated offshore wind project costs, causing developers to rethink or abandon their agreements.

Since July, four contracts, amounting to 2.4 GW of power for Massachusetts utilities, have been dropped. Additionally, 0.8 GW is at risk in Connecticut after a recent contract termination attempt. New York faced its most significant setback when regulators denied developers' request to adjust their contracts for inflation, endangering 4.2 GW of offshore wind power. This means around 25% of Biden's goal may face delays or cancellations, potentially hindering his environmental objectives and future U.S. offshore wind initiatives.

According to Atin Jain from BloombergNEF, the 30 GW target for 2030 seems increasingly unrealistic. He had reservations from the outset, which have only grown.

Biden's vision was for offshore wind to power approximately 10 million homes and decrease carbon emissions significantly by the decade's end, with New York playing a pivotal role. The state intended to generate 70% of its power from renewable energy by 2030, with offshore wind contributing significantly.

But increased costs, propelled by interest rate hikes and supply chain disruptions, posed challenges. For instance, Equinor ASA and BP PLC asked for a 54% price rise for their developments, while Ørsted A/S sought a 27% increase.

Molly Morris from Equinor expressed disappointment with New York's decision. David Hardy from Ørsted remarked that the viability of their Sunrise Wind project was now in question. The American Clean Power Association was particularly critical, saying this decision jeopardized New York's clean energy aspirations.

Governor Kathy Hochul, in response to the decision, reaffirmed her dedication to clean energy and climate goals, unveiling a 10-point plan for renewable development. Yet, she felt the developers' price hike requests were excessive.

The White House has not commented on the issue.

The situation in New York differs from the setbacks in Massachusetts and Connecticut. While New England's canceled contracts were for projects still awaiting full permissions, two New York projects were closer to breaking ground.

Analyst Samantha Woodworth from Wood Mackenzie highlighted the investments already made by developers. There's concern about the potential setbacks if contracts are canceled, especially regarding federal permitting processes and increased competition for resources.

Jain from BloombergNEF foresees more challenges for the sector, suggesting that the industry might face further deterioration before improvement.

 

[OVERBORED]

You mean to tell me the government underestimated the cost of a project?

Lol

This is what happens when you RUSH a project of this magnitude.

"If you fail to plan, plan to fail"

 

[OVERBORED]

 

[Roccus7]

Massive windfarm project to be built off Virginia coast gains key federal approval​

Dominion Energy says construction should be done by late 2026.

Two of the offshore wind turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va., in June 2020. Once constructed, the turbines are expected to generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power up to 660,000 homes. Steve Helber/Associated Press file
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A power company’s plans for an enormous offshore wind farm off Virginia’s coast gained key federal approval Tuesday after the Biden Administration evaluated the project’s potential impact on the environment.


Dominion Energy received what’s called a favorable “record of decision” from the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The agency considered efforts to minimize effects on marine life, such as endangered North Atlantic right whales, among other factors.

The utility will still need federal approval of its construction and operation plans before more pilings rise above the Atlantic Ocean. Two pilot turbines have been in place since 2020.

Dominion plans to build 176 turbines more than 20 miles off the coast from the hotels and touristy boardwalk of Virginia Beach. Dominion said its project will be the largest offshore wind farm under development in the United States.

The project is expected to generate 2.6 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power up to 660,000 homes once fully constructed, according to the utility. It added that the wind farm’s output should generate fuel savings of $3 billion for customers in its first decade of operation.

Dominion expects construction to be completed by late 2026.

“Today’s approval of the largest offshore wind project in U.S. history builds on the undeniable momentum we are seeing,” Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said in a statement, referring to four other offshore wind projects approved by President Biden’s administration.

The administration said it wants to build 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 – enough to power more than 10 million homes.

Construction of the project in Virginia is expected to support about 900 jobs each year and then an estimated 1,100 annual jobs during operations, the Interior Department said.

The initiative has gained wide support from Virginia policymakers and political leaders, including Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who last week attended a reception marking the arrival of eight monopile foundations for the windfarm.

Environmental groups have also praised the undertaking.

The Southern Environmental Law Center cited the importance of offshore wind for cutting carbon pollution, which fuels climate change.

The project will “significantly reduce Dominion’s reliance on coal and methane gas and also means cost savings for customers,” Will Cleveland, a senior attorney in the law center’s Virginia office, said in a statement.

Michael Town, executive director of the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, added in a separate statement that “we must do everything we can to transition to a clean and just energy future, and offshore wind will play an outsized role.”

 

[longcast]

Developer axes 2 major offshore wind projects in blow to Biden's green energy goals

A major global energy developer axed two offshore wind projects that the Biden administration recently approved and boasted would create thousands of jobs.

www.foxnews.com

The Denmark-based energy firm said its board of directors voted to ax its high-profile Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 twin projects in response to changing macroeconomic factors, including high inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and rising interest rates. The projects had been personally backed by Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and cited by the White House as proof of "Bidenomics" working.

"When green dreams run into hard reality, the results are never pretty," Daniel Turner, the founder and executive director of energy group Power The Future, said in a statement. "Wind power receives billions in taxpayer support, yet we see project after project failing."

"In this case, it’s the people of New Jersey left holding the bag," Turner said. "Governor Murphy can rage all he wants about getting back money from the company for coffers in Trenton, but the truth is the green agenda pushed by him and other militant leftists that made today happen. That’s cold comfort to Garden State families staring down a long cold winter with soaring energy costs."



"This is a great day for the Atlantic Ocean. This is a great day for the whales and dolphins. The massive, reckless experiment known as Ocean Wind One has been stopped and Ocean Wind Two abandoned," said County Commission Director Len Desiderio. "There were many who consistently told us that we were wasting our time, that there was nothing we could do about the project being built."

 

[george]

Developer axes 2 major offshore wind projects in blow to Biden's green energy goals

A major global energy developer axed two offshore wind projects that the Biden administration recently approved and boasted would create thousands of jobs.

www.foxnews.com

The Denmark-based energy firm said its board of directors voted to ax its high-profile Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 twin projects in response to changing macroeconomic factors, including high inflation, supply chain bottlenecks and rising interest rates. The projects had been personally backed by Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and cited by the White House as proof of "Bidenomics" working.

"When green dreams run into hard reality, the results are never pretty," Daniel Turner, the founder and executive director of energy group Power The Future, said in a statement. "Wind power receives billions in taxpayer support, yet we see project after project failing."

"In this case, it’s the people of New Jersey left holding the bag," Turner said. "Governor Murphy can rage all he wants about getting back money from the company for coffers in Trenton, but the truth is the green agenda pushed by him and other militant leftists that made today happen. That’s cold comfort to Garden State families staring down a long cold winter with soaring energy costs."



"This is a great day for the Atlantic Ocean. This is a great day for the whales and dolphins. The massive, reckless experiment known as Ocean Wind One has been stopped and Ocean Wind Two abandoned," said County Commission Director Len Desiderio. "There were many who consistently told us that we were wasting our time, that there was nothing we could do about the project being built."

I hope economics kill it, but I can't help but think that they will find more money to throw at it. Amazing how we haven't seen a dead whale since the surveying stopped.

 

[Kona]

I hope economics kill it, but I can't help but think that they will find more money to throw at it. Amazing how we haven't seen a dead whale since the surveying stopped.

Ain’t that the truth!! Just coincidence, riiiiight!