NJ Whale Deaths Explained By DEP; 'We're Monitoring'

TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection says 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.

The DEP statement, issued Wednesday, comes a day before a congressional hearing in Wildwood arranged by Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who along with Rep. Chris Smith and dozens of local town officials have been calling for a moratorium on offshore wind projects.

The DEP says $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.

There have been at least 11 whales that have washed up dead along New Jersey's coastline since Dec. 5, with the most recent washing ashore in Seaside Park on March 2. Van Drew announced at a Feb. 19 rally in Point Pleasant Beach that he would be hosting a congressional hearing on the matter in South Jersey; it is set for Thursday. Read more: Offshore Wind Hearing Held By Van Drew Set In South Jersey

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, which have faced significant opposition from their inception off New Jersey's coast. Read more: Seaside Park Humpback Whale's Death Under Investigation

"As of March 2023, no offshore wind-related construction activities have taken place in waters off the New Jersey coast," the DEP statement said, "and DEP is aware of no credible evidence that offshore wind-related survey activities could cause whale mortality."

"While DEP has no reason to conclude that whale mortality is attributable to offshore wind-related activities, DEP will continue to monitor," the statement said.

The DEP statement also comes as the Board of Public Utilities approved its third solicitation of offshore wind projects. Read more: Amid Whale Deaths, NJ Pursues More Offshore Wind Contracts

DEP officials 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.

"Due to these changes in ocean temperature and water chemistry, populations of marine species — including menhaden, a key whale food source — adapt by moving into new areas where conditions are more favorable," the DEP statement said. "Changes that draw prey fish landward similarly increase the risk that these fish and their predators, including whales, may be drawn into conflict with human activities, such as vessel strikes that may increase whale mortality."

The statement cited data in the New Jersey Scientific Report on Climate Change, which the department issued in 2020.

"DEP is dedicated to the conservation, protection, and restoration of all natural resources, including aquatic habitats and the fish and wildlife that rely upon the sound management of marine environments," the statement said. "In fulfilling this mission, DEP administers New Jersey’s Coastal Zone Management Program, regulates certain activities in state waters, including the development of energy-generating facilities and infrastructure, and otherwise coordinates environmental reviews with federal government agencies."

"DEP expects that all regulated entities, including offshore wind project sponsors, pursue development objectives responsibly, including assessing potential environmental impacts and avoiding, minimizing, and mitigating likely adverse effects upon natural resources, including marine mammals and their habitats," the statement said.

The research funding committed by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind and Ocean Wind II as part of the Board of Public Utilities' second wind project solicitiation, at $10,000 per megawatt of "project-nameplate capacity awarded," will pay for projects by a variety of academic and research entities and include work to evaluate and minimize impacts to a variety of marine wildlife, including whales, the DEP said.

Details on the projects are on the state's website. Click on the "Projects" tab for more information on the various research projects.