Paul Eidman is a recreational fishing charter captain who advocates for the responsible development of offshore wind energy.
Offshore wind is one of America’s best hopes for a clean energy future. With vast potential to power millions of homes and slash our dependence on fossil fuels, it should be a centerpiece of our transition to renewable energy. Yet progress has been deliberately sabotaged — not by technical limits or costs — but by a well-funded disinformation campaign designed to keep Big Oil’s profits flowing.
Researchers at Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab have traced an extensive network of front groups working to block offshore wind projects along the Atlantic coast. These groups pretend to represent local citizens and environmentalists, but their true backers are national conservative think tanks and fossil fuel companies. Together, they’ve spent more than $72 million creating a false image of public outrage — an illusion that has successfully slowed, stalled and, in some cases, stopped critical renewable energy projects.
Among the opponents cited in Brown’s report, “Against the Wind: A Map of the Anti-Offshore Wind Network in the Eastern United States,” is the conservative Caesar Rodney Institute of Delaware, whose energy policy expert also serves as the president of the American Coalition for Ocean Protection. ACOP unites conservative think tanks in five East Coast states with local organizations fighting offshore wind initiatives, according to Brown.
The report notes further that CRI’s energy policy expert also manages the Ocean Environment Legal Defense Fund, which bankrolls lawsuits against offshore wind projects by community groups, as part of a coordinated legal strategy to delay progress. The institute has a suit pending against the state of Delaware, alleging it did not follow its own regulations in approving permits that would allow a project by US Wind to proceed. The Trump administration has since revoked key federal permits.
The strategy, to the detriment of every electric consumer, works. At the heart of this campaign are “sock puppets” — fake online identities and front organizations flooding social media, community pages and local news comment sections with misinformation. They pose as anglers, residents or concerned conservationists, spreading lies that offshore wind kills whales, destroys ocean habitats and threatens tourism.
The truth? Scientists and federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, have found zero evidence linking offshore wind activity to whale deaths. The real culprits are ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements, not turbines.
But deception spreads faster than facts. These manufactured voices create the illusion of widespread opposition where little exists, giving lawmakers and regulators cover to delay or derail projects. Every delay keeps America hooked on oil and gas — and that’s exactly the aim.
High-profile figures like Donald Trump have amplified the misinformation, have called offshore wind “disgusting” and have vowed to kill projects already underway. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., once seen as an environmental champion, now echoes these same falsehoods, aligning himself with the very industries destroying our climate. In Congress, Reps. Jeff Van Drew and Chris Smith, both R-N.J., have joined the chorus, parroting fossil-fueled talking points to score political points.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Nearly 65 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity are in development — enough to power over 26 million homes and cut billions in annual fossil fuel spending. Every canceled project means more carbon in the air, more imported oil and fewer clean energy jobs in coastal communities.
It’s time to call this what it is: a coordinated attack on America’s clean energy future. Offshore wind can deliver massive environmental and economic benefits — revitalizing ports, creating union jobs and powering our communities with homegrown clean energy.
As Delaware and Maryland celebrate the Yes to Wind Week of Action Nov. 15-23, take a moment to learn more and look beyond the spin. Events take place Nov. 19 at Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin and Nov. 20 at Dogfish Head Craft Brewery in Milton.
Wednesday at Ashland Nature Center in Hockessin and Thursday at Dogfish Head in Milton.
Don’t let fake accounts, fossil-funded think tanks and political opportunists decide our future. The science is clear. The technology is ready. The only thing standing in the way is a well-oiled campaign of deception.
Follow the money — and you’ll see who’s really trying to blow offshore wind off course.
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
