As Right Whales Face Extinction, Wind Power Gives Millions to Environmental Groups from Maryland to Massachusetts
NANTUCKET, Mass., April 27, 2022 — From Maryland to Massachusetts, Wind Power corporations (most of them European-based) gave more than $4.2M to conservation groups since 2018, according to a new report released today by the Save Right Whales Coalition. The coalition is a group of long-time environmental activists, scientists and community leaders from the Northeast dedicated to protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale.
The report, “Conflicts of Interest,” is among the first to trace financial contributions from the Wind Power industry to environmental organizations in the Northeast. It comes as the Biden administration continues its push for offshore wind-generated electricity to combat climate change. However, controversy surrounds several projects including one already permitted to erect multiple giant wind turbines right in the heart of biologically important habitat for the endangered North Atlantic right whale in waters south of Massachusetts and Rhode Island – a cause one would expect local conservation groups to be fighting. Not only do these turbines harm migrating bird populations, but most scientists believe the impact on the right whale threatens the diminishing population that remains on the planet.
“Our investigation sought to understand why environmental groups that have worked vigorously to protect right whales have gone silent in the face of a massive industrialization of right whale habitat. If the money flow is influencing the actions of these environmental groups, the public deserves to know,” said Lisa Linowes, a member of Save the Right Whales Coalition.
The coalition also released an open letter sent to the environmental organizations that took the Wind Power money.
Many of the recipients of the corporate money have either issued statements in support of wind power or remained silent.
“These offshore projects, which could decimate hundreds of thousands of migratory birds, will be built by some of the largest international oil and gas companies in the world,” the group said. “Our findings take on suspended belief when one considers Ørsted’s involvement with the New Jersey Audubon Society.” The Danish company is the official sponsor of the New Jersey Audubon Society’s fundraiser, the World Series of Birding where funds are raised to support bird conservation.
The full report can be found here.
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SOURCE Save Right Whales Coalition
