Whale, Dolphin Deaths Demand Investigation: Monmouth Commissioners

LONG BRANCH, NJ – An "immediate investigation" into marine animal deaths along the New Jersey coastline was called for by the Monmouth County Board of County Commissioners and other Republican representatives, speaking at a press conference at Seven Presidents Park Wednesday.

Meeting at the beachfront, GOP county, state and Congressional representatives were in attendance - and all took aim at offshore wind turbine construction in their discussion of marine mammal deaths.

“Yesterday, my fellow commissioners and I passed a resolution calling for an immediate investigation of offshore projects and marine animal deaths along the New Jersey coastline,” said Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone.

“We join a growing group of elected officials, residents, and advocates who want to know why there is an unprecedented number of dead whales and dolphins washing ashore," he said.

The resolution calls for state and federal agencies to share "unbiased findings" with the county.

On Tuesday, a report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found a New Jersey offshore wind farm may “adversely affect” whales and other marine mammals, but its construction and operation would not seriously harm or kill them, according to a news report by the Associated Press.

In New Jersey, 11 whales have washed ashore since Dec. 5, 2022 according to the NJ-based Marine Mammal Stranding Center, which investigates and tracks the deaths of these animals.

Other aquatic mammals are washing ashore dead or in poor condition in New Jersey, too: 23 dolphins and two porpoises have been stranded since Dec. 28, according to the center. This includes eight dolphins who washed ashore in Sea Isle City, a porpoise in Ortley Beach and the death of a mother and baby in Middletown, according to previous Patch reports.

While preliminary necropsy results have shown several of the whales — including the Seaside Park whale (a female humpback) — had injuries consistent with having been hit by ships, the number of whale deaths in a short period of time has had various organizations pointing to offshore wind activities off New Jersey's coast, that have faced opposition.

One theory is that sonar surveying from offshore wind companies is causing the deaths of whales and dolphins, though multiple experts say no substantial evidence for this exists in the recent death investigations.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection said it is monitoring whale deaths along the state's coastline but says it is "aware of no credible evidence" that offshore wind-related work is causing the deaths.

As of March 2023, no offshore wind-related construction activities have taken place in waters off the New Jersey coast, the DEP has said.

DEP officials have said they are concerned that rising ocean temperatures are playing a role in the whales' deaths, which have been tracked as an "unusual mortality event" by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration since 2016.

But officials speaking Wednesday pressed for more investigation into the deaths.

Rep. Chris Smith, R-Manchester, attended the press conference at Seven Presidents Park in Long Branch and called for a study of the wind turbines, too.

“We’re here today to push for an independent investigation into the potentially catastrophic impacts of the proposed 3,400 offshore wind turbines along the Jersey Shore,” Smith said.

Smith is the author of an amendment, which passed the House on Friday with bipartisan support in a vote of 244-189, that would require an independent study into the sufficiency of the environmental review process for the offshore wind projects.

He made a reference to Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy and President Biden, saying they "cannot hide behind shoddy environmental impact statements any longer—the people of New Jersey deserve better.”

Many Democratic U.S. senators have asked the Biden Administration environmental officials to address a rising number of whale deaths with “transparency and timeliness,” including both of New Jersey’s Senate representatives, Sens. Cory Booker and Robert Menendez of New Jersey.

On Wednesday, state Assemblyman Gerry Scharfenberger, NJ-13, referred to a bill calling for a "complete moratorium on all activity related to the surveying and mapping in advance of the wind turbines."

"We feel that is a reasonable stance under the circumstances," said . "Once a definitive cause has been identified, then we are asking for corrective measures in place before any resumption of these activities. Everyone wants alternative energy. What they don’t want is alternative energy at any cost," he said.

Assemblywoman Victoria Flynn, NJ-13, also urged "hitting pause" on the wind turbine projects.

“We need to hit pause to ensure any offshore activity is safe not only for the whales and dolphins, but also to ensure that offshore activity will not impact our state’s economy," she said.

Arnone said he would like Monmouth County elected officials to join in the request for a study of the whale and dolphin deaths "so that the best decision possible can be made to protect our marine life and our coastlines."

The DEP has said $8.5 million has been authorized for "scientific efforts to ensure the safe and ecologically responsible development of offshore wind energy," and another $26 million committed by companies as part of the second wind energy solicitation, to be spent on regional research and ecological monitoring.

The press conference was live-streamed and can be viewed in its entirety on the Monmouth County Government’s Facebook and YouTube Channel.

Local editors Karen Wall, Michelle Rotuno-Johnson, Veronica Flesher and Carly Baldwin contributed reporting to this article.