Staff Reports
The Biden administration is moving forward with plans to put wind turbines off the coasts of the United States. Recently, the Department of the Interior shared news about offering 12 lease areas for offshore wind projects over the next five years in various locations like the Gulf Coast, West Coast, and East Coast.
Biden pursues offshore wind, but one community’s experience may offer a glimpse of what’s to come https://t.co/eHztbQWY5u
— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) April 30, 2024
One of these projects is the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind by Dominion Energy. This project plans to have 176 turbines producing a large amount of power. Some residents of Virginia Beach, where the project is located, have raised concerns about the construction noise and the visibility of the towers from the beach.
While some believe they were misled about the appearance of the towers, Dominion Energy maintains that they have been transparent about the project details. They have held community meetings to address concerns and have shared information about the project with residents.
Critics of the project, including some local residents and advocacy groups, have expressed worries about the impact on marine wildlife, particularly endangered whales. They have raised concerns about the potential dangers to the North Atlantic right whale due to the location of the offshore wind projects in areas with high whale activity.
Despite these concerns, Dominion Energy has assured that they have taken environmental impacts into consideration in their planning. They have implemented measures to protect marine wildlife, such as avoiding pile driving during whale migration season and using bubble curtains to mitigate sound impact in the sea.
Overall, the offshore wind project in Virginia Beach has brought attention to the potential challenges and controversies surrounding the expansion of offshore wind energy in the United States. While proponents see this as a step towards clean energy production, critics continue to push for more thorough assessments of the environmental impact and protection of marine wildlife.
