Few people realize that BOEM has released Ørsted, a multi-billion dollar foreign company, from any financial obligation to put aside funds for decommissioning within the first fifteen years of operation. What happens if they fail, become obsolete, or are determined to be harmful before that? Who will pay?

Decommissioning can cost 70% of the construction costs, according to this analysis from Europe. After fifteen years of operation, BOEM will only require Revolution Wind to put aside $325 million, when the likely cost of decommissioning could exceed $7 billion. Who will pay the difference?

The Mid-Atlantic Cold Pool (MAB) is a seasonal cold bottom water mass that supports coastal ecosystems and fisheries, but dissipates in fall due to mixing events. Offshore wind energy development in the MAB has raised concerns about its potential impact on ocean mixing and seasonal stratification, as similar studies in Europe suggest such developments can affect the Cold Pool. A recent study evaluates the seasonal overlap between the Cold Pool and wind lease areas in the MAB, revealing persistent thermal gradients and cross-shelf variability, emphasizing the need for further research on the effects of wind farms on the region's coastal environment.

While most citizens support urgent action on climate change, the current plan to industrialize large parts of the Atlantic Ocean with offshore wind turbines fails to align with President Biden's executive order, which emphasizes biodiversity protection and environmental justice. The approval of offshore wind projects by federal agencies, including allowing harm to endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale, undermines vital environmental protections and risks long-term ecological damage, defying the executive order's goal of addressing climate change without sacrificing biodiversity.