Another dead dolphin has washed up along Newport’s picturesque Ocean Drive—this time in full view of the offshore wind turbines critics are calling an ecological disaster in the making.
The bloated, decaying dolphin carcass, spotted Monday, is just the latest grim addition to what NOAA has labeled an “Unusual Mortality Event” for marine mammals that has plagued the East Coast for the past several years. But while federal officials scramble for answers, locals and environmental watchdogs are pointing to a common thread: the ever-expanding wind farms popping up off our shores.
With marine mammal strandings on the rise—including whales, dolphins, and porpoises—skeptics are demanding answers about the potential impacts of sonar mapping, pile driving, and increased vessel traffic tied to offshore wind development.
“Unusual”? Try alarming.
Wind industry backers insist there’s no “conclusive evidence” linking their operations to the marine deaths—but critics say the timing is more than suspicious. Since the rush to build massive offshore turbines began, the number of dead marine mammals has spiked, and communities up and down the coast are taking notice.
How many more marine mammals need to die before someone admits these wind farms may be doing more harm than good?
As the body count climbs, the public deserves transparency—not excuses.
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