Letter to the Editor: Offshore wind meeting, information or disinformation?

As a resident of Dewey Beach and an advocate for offshore wind, I attended the Fenwick Island Town Council-sponsored “symposium” on Friday, May 20 at the Indian River High School.

At this meeting, I learned little of fact but much about misinformation. It mostly presented the hackneyed objections to OSW.

Not to belabor the points of misinformation presented but to revisit a few glaring errors of fact:

• The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management cannot — I repeat, cannot — move the lease area to the requested 30 miles farther from shore. These are legally contracted sites.
• Ocean City, Maryland, is concerned that the “viewshed” of wind turbines will be costly in tourism dollars, due to folks choosing not to rent/purchase there.

The offshore wind community would encourage the town elders to read the study done by the University of Rhode Island concerning the Block Island Wind Farm. This study found that tourism actually increased.

Occupancy, rental rates and revenue were all up after the wind farm was installed.

• Much concern was expressed about impacts on marine and bird species. Again, wrong and misinformation. The National Audubon Society says offshore wind “can be a powerful factor in protecting the birds that we love.”

Also, the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration notes that entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes are the leading causes of North Atlantic right whale mortality.

• Last, the Delaware State News says that pro-offshore winds signs were posted outside; inside was “just the opposite.” Pro-wind attendees did bring small, handmade signs for in-meeting display. The meeting organizers banned them. (And asked that the outside signs be removed.)

Information or disinformation — that is the question. Is it nobler to seek the truth and be informed or to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous propaganda?

Jill Gaumer

Dewey Beach