The federal government expects no endangered whales, including North Atlantic right whales, to be killed or seriously injured by the installation of Vineyard Wind’s remaining turbines, but the same is not true for sea turtles.
The National Marine Fisheries Service, also known as NOAA Fisheries, has issued a new biological opinion on ways the continued turbine installation could affect threatened and endangered species.
The opinion won’t be published for several days, but in a summary provided to CAI, Greater Atlantic regional spokeswoman Andrea Gomez said the agency anticipates that an average of one sea turtle per year will be struck and killed by a boat associated with Vineyard Wind.
Noise from the installation could temporarily disturb right whales’ behavior, according to the agency.
Conservation group Oceana says it hopes the National Marine Fisheries Service will advance an idea the agency proposed two years ago to create a buffer between turbines and whale habitat.
“Oceana has been strongly supportive of requiring a conservation buffer,” said Gib Brogan, campaign director. “It's going to be very interesting to see whether the biological opinion includes that kind of separation strategy… We think that that is the way to find the coexistence between responsibly developed offshore wind and the recovery of North Atlantic right whales.”
The forthcoming opinion is part of a new Incidental Harassment Authorization for Vineyard Wind, as required under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Vineyard Wind had to re-initiate the authorization process for 15 turbine foundations remaining to be installed, according to NOAA Fisheries.
Gomez said the government’s conclusions about Vineyard Wind have not changed.
