Pentagon opposes offshore wind sites in Atlantic over security concerns

Apr 18, 2023

Karah Rucker Reporter/Producer

By Karah Rucker (Reporter/Producer), Stacey Chamberlain (Editor/Digital Producer)

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In an effort to expand clean energy along the East Coast, President Biden has big plans for offshore wind projects in the Atlantic. But the Pentagon is pushing back against where the administration was planning to build the mid-Atlantic wind farms because the locations interfere with military operations.

The Navy and Air Force call some of the prime real estate off the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware “highly problematic” sites to build wind energy projects. The Pentagon warns wind farms, in four of the six planned zones, could pose a threat to national security.

The Biden administration plans to install 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power, the equivalent of 30 nuclear reactors, within the next 10 years.

But the advancements in green energy haven’t come easy. The Biden administration has faced serious opposition for a list of underlying concerns before the Pentagon scrutinized the projects.

Some lawmakers have called for a congressional investigation into the impacts of offshore wind development. They say offshore wind projects could be the cause of dozens of whales and other marine life washing ashore and dying. They also believe the projects could harm tourism, commercial fishing and real estate values.

“This president and this administration continue to disregard these valid concerns. And now the Pentagon is reiterating the potential impacts the industrialization of our coast will have on our national security. We need to put America first and we need a moratorium on these projects until it is far too late,” Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., said.

The Biden administration is not deterred by the Pentagon’s report. It will continue to seek leasing areas in the central Atlantic to expand green energy, and to provide cleaner and cheaper energy along the East Coast.

Tags: Joe Biden, Marine life, National Security, Offshore wind farms, The Pentagon, U.S. military

KARAH RUCKER: IN AN EFFORT TO EXPAND CLEAN ENERGY ALONG THE EAST COAST – PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS BIG PLANS FOR OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS IN THE ATLANTIC.

BUT THE PENTAGON IS PUSHING BACK AGAINST WHERE THE ADMINISTRATION WAS PLANNING TO BUILD THE MID-ATLANTIC WIND FARMS BECAUSE THE LOCATIONS INTERFERE WITH MILITARY OPERATIONS.

THE NAVY AND AIR FORCE CALL SOME OF THE PRIME REAL ESTATE OFF THE COASTS OF NORTH CAROLINA, VIRGINIA, MARYLAND AND DELAWARE “HIGHLY PROBLEMATIC” SITES TO BUILD WIND ENERGY PROJECTS.

THE PENTAGON WARNS WIND FARMS IN 4 OF THE 6 PLANNED ZONES — COULD POSE A THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY.

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION PLANS TO INSTALL 30 GIGAWATTS OF OFFSHORE WIND POWER — THE EQUIVALENT OF 30 NUCLEAR REACTORS — WITHIN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.

BUT THE ADVANCEMENTS IN GREEN ENERGY HAVEN’T COME EASY – THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS FACED SERIOUS OPPOSITION FOR A LIST OF UNDERLYING CONCERNS BEFORE THE PENTAGON SCRUTINIZED THE PROJECTS.

SOME LAWMAKERS HAVE CALLED FOR A CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACTS OF OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT.

SAYING OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS COULD BE THE CAUSE OF DOZENS OF WHALES AND OTHER MARINE LIFE WASHING ASHORE AND DYING.

THEY ALSO BELIEVE THE PROJECTS COULD HARM TOURISM, COMMERCIAL FISHING, AND REAL ESTATE VALUES.

U.S. REPRESENTATIVE JEFF VAN DREW OF NEW JERSEY: “This President and this administration continue to disregard these valid concerns, and now the Pentagon is reiterating the potential impacts the industrialization of our coast will have on our national security. We need to put America first and we need a moratorium on these projects until it is far too late.”

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS NOT DETERRED BY THE PENTAGON’S REPORT AND WILL CONTINUE TO SEEK LEASING AREAS IN THE CENTRAL ATLANTIC TO EXPAND GREEN ENERGY AND PROVIDE CLEANER AND CHEAPER ENERGY ALONG THE EAST COAST.