FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date Published: Monday, September 13, 2021
Washington, D.C. — Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), a broad membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies, filed a Petition for Review today in the First Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals regarding the Secretary of the Interior’s July 15, 2021 decision approving the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind energy project. This action is the culmination of many years of conscientious participation by fisheries professionals only to see their expertise and value summarily ignored by decision-makers during the leasing process.
The U.S. fishing industry harvests a renewable food source for the American people and provides vital services to coastal communities and the nation; in 2019, U.S. commercial fishermen landed 9.3 billion pounds of seafood valued at $5.5 billion. U.S. fisheries are held to a high standard of sustainability thanks to actions taken by regional fishery management councils, federal agencies, and the dedication of the fishing industry to persist while complying with ever-changing regulations designed to protect our oceans. However, they are under increasing pressure from unfair competition with foreign entities that are able to circumvent stringent environmental oversight. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)’s hasty approval of this project, which could be the nation’s first commercial-scale offshore wind installation, adds unacceptable risk to this sustainable industry without any effort to minimize unreasonable interference with traditional and well-managed seafood production and navigation.
“This is a precedent-setting decision by BOEM, and it is critical that they get it right so that future projects are following a trusted roadmap instead of a flawed and dangerous example,” says Anne Hawkins, Executive Director of RODA. “Unfortunately, this lawsuit is the only recourse fishermen have to ensure the fishing communities’ concerns are addressed.”
The fishing industry has consistently voiced serious concerns about the Vineyard Wind project. Their main request is to be able to continue safe operations, but their heritage, well-being, and community structures have been systematically marginalized in the permitting process. The project design approved by BOEM would endanger fishermen by placing turbines too close together for fishing vessels to safely navigate in inclement weather or heavy seas. Based on their understanding of the connectivity of marine systems, fishermen have also repeatedly requested a cumulative impact assessment of offshore wind development to fish and protected resources. Unfortunately, BOEM has not taken a holistic approach to address the cumulative impact of offshore wind on the ocean ecosystem and shoreside communities. It is impossible to effectively plan a new ocean industry without such an analysis, especially one with such a large environmental footprint.
Our nation’s fisheries are managed through a participatory process in which fishermen’s concerns are heard and marine expertise valued through transparent science-based processes, but this has not happened with offshore wind. Late last year, BOEM announced the termination of the federal environmental review process for Vineyard Wind. Just weeks later, immediately after the change in administration, the agency abruptly announced “completion” of that same review and a new, erroneous interpretation of existing law that would inform its decision without even accepting public comment.
The federal government must provide prudent and unbiased oversight in energy policy, carefully balancing multiple public interests. Instead, BOEM has failed to sincerely consider any mitigation measures beyond those voluntarily suggested by the investment banks and multinational energy giants to which it is leasing federal lands and waters. Climate change must be addressed, but in a way that deliberatively minimizes these emerging technologies’ direct impacts to marine ecosystems, biodiversity, and food security.
Fishermen are committed to responsible ocean stewardship and have proven that by attending hundreds of meetings with offshore wind developers, leading cooperative research efforts, and co-designing effective solutions for sustainable fisheries management. RODA and its membership engage in offshore wind discussions in good faith and provide extensive comments to BOEM, which were roundly ignored in this decision. As such, this lawsuit is an effort to fix a flawed system so that offshore wind may only be developed in an appropriately regulated, environmentally safe manner that is consistent with protecting fishing communities and other ocean-based activities.
To learn more about the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance or to support their efforts to protect U.S. fishermen, visit www.rodafisheries.org.
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About Responsible Offshore Development Alliance
Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) is a broad membership-based coalition of fishing industry associations and fishing companies — across the United States — committed to improving the compatibility of new offshore development with their businesses. The alliance works to directly collaborate with relevant regulatory agencies, scientists, and others to coordinate science and policy approaches to managing development of the Outer Continental Shelf in a way that minimizes conflicts with existing traditional and historical fishing.
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Contact:
Haley Steinhauser
+1(562)991-3170