To the editor: ACK for Whales has been fighting long and hard for years to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale from the dangers of offshore wind survey work, construction and operations. Sadly, we have had to sue the very permitting agencies, NOAA and BOEM, that are supposed to be protecting this majestic species, and many others, because the agencies are NOT, in fact, following the science and properly safeguarding against the peril these animals are meeting. We believe there has been overreach by the agencies, but it’s been overreach to fulfill political agendas at the expense of the integrity of our ocean and the protection of the animals that live within and fly above.

Unfortunately there is more to the story: So many of what are recognized as “important” ENGOs have complicated things further by taking money from not just big wind, but also from the federal government that is pushing the big wind agenda. These same ENGOs are spending real resources promoting an industry that is damaging our ocean. So when organizations like the National Wildlife Federation have a department with a dozen professionals dedicated to advancing the industrialization of our ocean AND government protection agencies like NOAA permitting recklessly, our ocean environment ends up in a really unfortunate place.

Val Oliver
President, ACK For Whales