U.S. agencies set plans to protect endangered right whales during offshore wind operations

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — Two federal agencies are looking to better protect endangered whales amid a surge in offshore wind farm development. The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released final plans Thursday to protect endangered North American right whales. Only about 360 of the whales are left in the world. The plans call for avoiding the granting of offshore wind leases in areas where major impacts on right whales might occur. They also would set noise limits on wind farm construction and back research into new, quieter offshore wind technologies. As of September 2023, there were 30 offshore wind lease areas along the East Coast.