It’s not every day that a well-spoken and well-informed young lady puts an entire government agency on notice. However, I’m happy to report that today is one of those days.
Reaching out across the internet to administer a digital smackdown, CFACT collegian Pearl Beyer recently penned and submitted a superb public comment to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), expressing her concern over BOEM’s proposed partnership with the Californian government to construct monstrous wind farms off the Golden State’s coast.
You can read her submitted comment in full below:
“To the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
I am a student at College of Dupage in Illinois, and a student representative for Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow or CFACT. As a passionate animal lover and future veterinarian I wish to express concern over BOEM’s proposal for wind turbine construction offshore of California. The proposed locations of Humboldt and Morro Bay are within the migration path of an endangered species of whale as listed by NOAA Fisheries. The North Pacific right whale.
The construction and use of offshore wind turbines puts this species at risk to, at the very least, vessel strikes, entanglement, ocean noise, and biotoxins. A world map from NOAA Fisheries providing an approximate range for this whale shows a majority of known habitat in the Bering Sea and a small portion on the western coast of the United States. What little range the whale has by the U.S. should still be protected as its thought the warm coastal waters are the preferred place of migration in winter for this species.
I’ve always loved marine life, and value what little known range these whales may have by the west coast. North Pacific right whales aren’t the only endangered marine life put at risk, as other species listed as endangered in California, such as the vaquita, humpback whales, and blue whales, would also be put at risk. Of course there are many more, these are just a few examples.
The demand for reliable energy in California remains important but the potential environmental impacts are concerning. These impacts listed in chapter three of “California Offshore Wind Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement November 2024 Volume I BOEM” are described as favorable for species and special status species in the area. However I’m skeptical, these potential impacts are acknowledged but what could be considered “favorable” to some species may not be to others. This could disrupt the local ecosystem and would only apply to the marine life that frequents reefs. Larger marine animals would still have potential for negative impacts such as noise pollution. For example whales and dolphins rely on sonar to communicate and navigate.
It’s due to these potential negative impacts on marine life that I ask for Alternative A- the “no action alternative” which would stop the construction and operation of these wind turbines in all 5 proposed locations, to be implemented.
It’s not every day that a well-spoken and well-informed young lady puts an entire government agency on notice. However, I’m happy to report that today is one of those days.
Reaching out across the internet to administer a digital smackdown, CFACT collegian Pearl Beyer recently penned and submitted a superb public comment to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), expressing her concern over BOEM’s proposed partnership with the Californian government to construct monstrous wind farms off the Golden State’s coast.
You can read her submitted comment in full below:
“To the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management,
I am a student at College of Dupage in Illinois, and a student representative for Collegians for a Constructive Tomorrow or CFACT. As a passionate animal lover and future veterinarian I wish to express concern over BOEM’s proposal for wind turbine construction offshore of California. The proposed locations of Humboldt and Morro Bay are within the migration path of an endangered species of whale as listed by NOAA Fisheries. The North Pacific right whale.
The construction and use of offshore wind turbines puts this species at risk to, at the very least, vessel strikes, entanglement, ocean noise, and biotoxins. A world map from NOAA Fisheries providing an approximate range for this whale shows a majority of known habitat in the Bering Sea and a small portion on the western coast of the United States. What little range the whale has by the U.S. should still be protected as its thought the warm coastal waters are the preferred place of migration in winter for this species.
I’ve always loved marine life, and value what little known range these whales may have by the west coast. North Pacific right whales aren’t the only endangered marine life put at risk, as other species listed as endangered in California, such as the vaquita, humpback whales, and blue whales, would also be put at risk. Of course there are many more, these are just a few examples.
The demand for reliable energy in California remains important but the potential environmental impacts are concerning. These impacts listed in chapter three of “California Offshore Wind Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement November 2024 Volume I BOEM” are described as favorable for species and special status species in the area. However I’m skeptical, these potential impacts are acknowledged but what could be considered “favorable” to some species may not be to others. This could disrupt the local ecosystem and would only apply to the marine life that frequents reefs. Larger marine animals would still have potential for negative impacts such as noise pollution. For example whales and dolphins rely on sonar to communicate and navigate.
It’s due to these potential negative impacts on marine life that I ask for Alternative A- the “no action alternative” which would stop the construction and operation of these wind turbines in all 5 proposed locations, to be implemented.
Thank you for your consideration.
Pearl Beyer
CFACT Collegian”
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