Biden administration faces baseless lawsuit over alleged wrong approval of Virginia offshore wind farm.

A lawsuit was recently filed by a conservative think tank against the Biden administration, aiming to reverse the approval of a large offshore wind farm project. The Heartland Institute, along with the Committee for a Constructive Tomorrow, filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, challenging the approval of Dominion Energy’s 176-turbine wind project off the coast of Virginia. The lawsuit argues that the approval did not properly consider the potential risks to the North Atlantic right whale during the construction process.

The groups behind the lawsuit criticize the Biden administration for what they perceive as prioritizing climate alarmism over the protection of endangered species like the right whale. This legal action mirrors other conservative arguments against renewable energy initiatives, including claims made by former President Trump.

Despite these claims, data on whale deaths, including North Atlantic right whales, does not support the argument that offshore wind farms are a significant factor in causing harm to these animals. Information from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows that vessel strikes are the leading cause of right whale deaths, followed by entanglement in fishing gear. Similar trends are observed in humpback whale mortality data.

With an estimated population of only around 360 remaining North Atlantic right whales, the Biden administration has outlined a strategy to protect the species during the offshore wind construction process. This includes measures to mitigate noise disturbances that have been linked to habitat loss for these whales.

The lawsuit filed by the conservative groups reflects a skeptical view of the environmental impact of offshore wind projects, drawing attention to other causes of whale deaths. Despite their concerns, the data suggest that other factors, such as vessel strikes, pose a more significant threat to these endangered species.

For further comments, NMFS was contacted for a response, while BOEM declined to provide a comment.

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