General information about offshore wind developments, their impacts on human health, fishing, and the Economy

Green Oceans has conducted an extensive literature reveiw detailed in this document. We present information, facts, and evidence from peer reviewed journal articles and the government’s own environmental impact statements to assess the impact of offshore wind farms on the environment, biodiversity, the marine ecosystem, the economy, human health, and climate change.

According to the environmental impact assessments, offshore wind projects produce more harm than good. Green Oceans presents facts from these government documents and peer reviewed scientific articles on the benefits and costs, both environmental and economic, of offshore wind energy.

A panel discussion held by a RI State Representative in Little Compton, offered information on the benefits of offshore wind, ignoring the many drawbacks to marine life, ocean health and NOAA’s granting of “Incidental Take Authorizations” as minimal disturbance to the whale population. The Q&A session of the evening did not allow for interactive discussion. The press maligned fisherman and environmental groups in the audience who had questions about the possible harmful effects of the turbines.

The BOEM knows that offshore wind developments alter critial ocean dynamics. A report requested by the BOEM states that offshore wind developments, off the coast of RI and MA, will extract kinetic energy from the wind (thus reducing wind speeds), will decrease wave heights and slow ocean currents which actually contributes to sea level rise in the North East.

Green Oceans presents the impacts of offshore wind energy on human health. Pollution from micro plastics, bisphenol A (BPA), heavy metals, forever chemicals (PFOAs), infrasound, electromagnetic radiation (EMFs) are all potentially harmful to human health. The industrialization of the pristine ocean, concerns about seafood safety, and the failure to protect marine mammals will all impact mental health as well.

Green Oceans presents the facts from environmental impact assessments about offshore wind energy’s impacts on the environment, including the truth about carbon dioxide replacement, marine habitat destruction, whale deaths, and the marine food chain. Green Oceans considers everything from primary productivity to climate change.

Offshore wind will harm the economy in Rhode Island by eliminating jobs in the fishing and tourism industries, depressing property values, raising electricity rates, and driving manufacturing out of the state. The number of jobs added by the offshore wind industry will NOT offset the number of jobs lost.

Offshore wind turbines can generate significant electricity but are intermittent, requiring fossil fuel generators to stabilize the grid, which increases their carbon emissions due to inefficient operation. Real-world data from Rhode Island shows that adding wind power to the grid has led to higher CO2 emissions, and developers acknowledge that offshore wind projects are unlikely to reduce global warming or combat climate change, with their primary goal being to meet renewable energy mandates.

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.