Wind energy expansion raises concerns over fishing industry’s future

DAVE ARIPOTCH: I GET PASSIONATE ABOUT IT BECAUSE…I JUST WANNA BE FAT, DUMB AND HAPPY. AND I’M FAT AND DUMB, BUT THE WINDMILLS DON’T MAKE ME HAPPY.

SHANNON LONGWORTH: THE FUTURE OF OFFSHORE WIND ON THE EAST COAST IS BEING LEASED ON GROUNDS WHERE MANY FISHERMEN MAKE THEIR LIVING. SOME FEAR THAT THEIR INDUSTRY, AND THE FISH THEY BRING HOME ARE AT RISK, AND THAT THEIR CONCERNS HAVE BEEN DISMISSED IN FAVOR OF A FAST-TRACKED PLAN FOR CLEAN ENERGY.

ARIPOTCH: MY NAME’S DAVID ARIPOTCH AND I’M A COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN. I HAVE BEEN ALL MY LIFE, IT’S ALL I’VE EVER DONE FOR WORK. I DON’T FAULT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN THAT LIVES IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTRY BECAUSE THEY’RE THINKING WELL, THE OCEAN IS A BIG PLACE. I MEAN, YOU DON’T NEED IT AT ALL. YOU DON’T OWN IT. WE ALL OWN IT, YOU KNOW? YEAH. OKAY. BUT THERE’S ONLY FISH IN CERTAIN PLACES.

MEGHAN LAPP: THE COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY, A LOT OF PEOPLE, I DON’T THINK, REALIZE HOW HEAVILY REGULATED WE ARE. A LOT OF THE REGULATIONS WE ABIDE BY ARE SPATIAL IN NATURE.

MEGHAN LAPP IS A LIAISON FOR COMMERCIAL FISHING COMPANY SEAFREEZE IN RHODE ISLAND. IF OFFSHORE WIND FARMS ARE JUST BEING CITED UNCONTROLLABLY ON OUR COMMERCIAL FISHING GROUNDS, WHICH IS WHAT’S HAPPENING, WE CAN’T JUST NECESSARILY RELOCATE TO SOMEPLACE ELSE.

LONGWORTH: NOT ALL FISHING ORGANIZATIONS OPPOSE OFFSHORE WIND. SOME HAVE EVEN PARTNERED WITH WIND PROJECTS TO SUPPORT THE EFFORT. BUT CONCERNS REMAIN FOR MANY REGIONAL AND NATIONAL ORDERS OF COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN.

BOTH ARIPOTCH AND LAPP SAY IT WON’T BE SAFE TO DEPLOY THEIR GEAR ANYWHERE BETWEEN A PROJECT’S TURBINES, EVEN WHEN THEY’RE A MILE APART LIKE IN VINEYARD WIND–AMERICA’S FIRST COMMERCIAL-SCALE WIND FARM. IF SO, THAT MAKES THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF FISHING GROUND PRACTICALLY OFF-LIMITS.

THIS IS A PROMOTIONAL VIDEO BY DOMINION ENERGY, SHOWING HOW EXCITED FISHERMEN ARE ABOUT CASTING NEAR THEIR WIND TURBINES.

BUT THESE MEN ARE FISHING FOR SPORT – WITH ROD & REEL. MANY COMMERCIAL FISHERMEN RESPONSIBLE FOR DOMESTIC FOOD PRODUCTION DO NOT SHARE THAT ENTHUSIASM.

LAPP: THE NETS ARE NOT RIGHT BEHIND THE BOAT, THEY ARE QUITE A WAYS BEHIND THE BOAT ATTACHED TO THE BOAT BY STEEL CABLES / YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MANEUVER THAT BETWEEN WIND TURBINES WITH YOU KNOW ACRES OF ROCK SCOUR PROTECTION, ELECTRICAL CABLES WITH 10S OF 1000S OF VOLTS, ALSO COVERED BY SCOUR PROTECTION, YOU WILL HANG UP YOUR GEAR ON IT, WHICH CAN ENDANGER YOU KNOW THE STABILITY OF YOUR VESSEL AND THE LIFE OF YOUR CREW.

LONGWORTH: IN BOEM’S FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR VINEYARD WIND, THE AGENCY ADMITS THAT A FISHERMEN’S ABILITY TO MANEUVER BETWEEN TURBINES “MAY VARY” DEPENDING ON VESSEL SIZE, GEAR, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE OBSTACLES AREN’T SOLELY BENEATH THE SURFACE. NETWORKS OF 800-FOOT TALL TURBINES CAN SCRAMBLE A BOAT’S MARINE RADAR. IN LOW VISIBILITY, COMMON ALONG THE NORTH ATLANTIC COAST, CREWS NEED RADAR TO NAVIGATE SAFELY. A NATIONAL ACADEMIES REPORT CONFIRMS THIS PHENOMENON, BUT FISHERMEN CAN ATTEST FIRST-HAND.

LAPP: OUR BOATS ARE OUT THERE AT NIGHT IN INCLEMENT WEATHER IN THE FOG IN THE RAIN WHEN YOU CAN’T SEE. AND IF YOU CAN’T HAVE RELIABLE MARINE RADAR, THEN THAT’S A MAJOR MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE.

LONGWORTH: RADAR INTERFERENCE COULD AFFECT MILITARY AND SEARCH AND RESCUE OPERATIONS AS WELL.  BUT THAT’S ANOTHER STORY.

BOEM, THE AUTHORITY ON WIND ENERGY LEASES, HAS MOVED FORWARD WITH A GENERAL EXPECTATION THAT FISHERMEN WILL EVENTUALLY FIGURE IT OUT. THEY’LL FIND A WAY TO ADAPT. BUT THEY DON’T KNOW, AND THEY RECOGNIZE THAT SOME WON’T TAKE THE RISK.

ARIPOTCH: YOU CAN’T TOW A NET ALONG THERE, YOU CAN’T TOW A NET. BECAUSE IF YOU GO OVER A ROCK, YOU’RE GOING TO GET TO RIP IT UP, AND THAT’S $30,000 NOW. NOT TO SAY SOMEBODY COULD GET HURT, YOU COULD LOSE IT, THE CABLES THAT RUN FROM THE BOAT TO THE NET COULD BREAK, ANYTHING CAN HAPPEN. SO THEY’RE TAKING THAT WHOLE BOTTOM, JUST TAKING IT AWAY. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO FISH THERE.

BONNIE BRADY: HONEY!  HE CAN’T HEAR ME.

ARIPOTCH: I KNOW MORE ABOUT WINDMILLS THAN I EVER WANTED TO. BECAUSE MY WIFE HAS BEEN RESEARCHING THEM FOR 20 YEARS.

BRADY: MY NAME IS BONNIE BRADY, AND I’M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE LONG ISLAND COMMERCIAL FISHING ASSOCIATION. SEAFREEZE, THEY ARE THE MAIN PLAINTIFF IN A LAWSUIT SUING THE FIRST RECORD OF DECISION WHICH IS THE VINEYARD WIND PROJECT. LONG ISLAND COMMERCIAL FISHING ASSOCIATION IS A PLAINTIFF ALSO, AS IS DAVID ARIPOTCH WHO IS A COMMERCIAL FISHERMAN FROM NEW YORK, AND MY HUSBAND.”

HTTPS://CDN01.DAILYCALLER.COM/WP-CONTENT/UPLOADS/2023/03/001-COMPLAINT.PDF

THE TEXAS PUBLIC POLICY FOUNDATION IS REPRESENTING THEM IN THE LAWSUIT, CLAIMING FEDERAL AGENCIES FAILED TO CONDUCT AN ADEQUATE REVIEW OF THE VINEYARD WIND PROJECT BEFORE GREENLIGHTING IT.

THE THINK TANK HAS A HISTORY OF CAMPAIGNING AGAINST RENEWABLE ENERGY AND SUPPORTING FOSSIL FUELS…BUT THE PLAINTIFF’S MOTIVATING CONCERN IS THEIR LIVELIHOOD.

ONE POINT OF CONTENTION: A LINE IN THE RECORD OF DECISION FOR VINEYARD WIND, WRITTEN BY BOEM, THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS, AND NOAA, PREDICTING IT’S “LIKELY THAT THE ENTIRE 75,614 ACRE AREA WILL BE ABANDONED BY COMMERCIAL FISHERIES DUE TO DIFFICULTIES WITH NAVIGATION.

ARIPOTCH: THAT STATEMENT WAS BROUGHT UP BY MY LAWYER. HE HAD READ THE DOCUMENTS. AND I MEAN, IT’S UNBELIEVABLE…BONNIE AND I WERE IN COURT WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THE LAWSUIT. AND THE JUDGE SAID OH, WELL IF I’M NOT MISTAKEN, THAT WAS A TYPO. WELL, THAT’S SOME TYPO.

LONGWORTH: A CLARIFICATION WAS LATER ISSUED, SAYING IT WAS BASED SOLELY ON PUBLIC COMMENTS–CONCERN FROM FISHERMEN–AND THAT IT WAS NOT THE RESULT OF AN AGENCY’S EVALUATION.

EITHER WAY, THE RISK TO SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT IS ENOUGH TO KEEP FISHERMEN OUT OF THE WIND FARMS, LEAVING LESS GROUND FOR THE SAME NUMBER OF BOATS.

AND THIS ISN’T JUST ABOUT ONE OR TWO WIND FARMS. A DECADE FROM NOW, THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF ALL THE PROJECT SITES WILL BE SUBSTANTIAL ALONG THE EAST COAST.

THOUSANDS OF TURBINES AND MILES OF CABLE SPANNING NEARLY TWO AND A HALF MILLION ACRES, WHEN IT’S ALL SAID AND DONE.

MEGHAN: IF ALL THE OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT THAT IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY AND BEING PLANNED FOR THE EAST COAST, I DON’T SEE THERE BEING A COMMERCIAL FISHING INDUSTRY ON THE EAST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES IN 20 YEARS. BECAUSE WE WON’T HAVE ANY PLACE TO FISH.

LONGWORTH: THESE FACES OF THE FISHING INDUSTRY ARE LOOKING FOR A THOROUGH EVALUATION OF THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPERS ARE ALREADY PLANTING IN THE OCEAN THEY SHARE.

LAPP: WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT NO MEANINGFUL REVIEW EVER REALLY HAPPENS. THE GOALS ARE TO MEET THE DEVELOPERS POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENT AND THE STATE’S RENEWABLE ENERGY GOALS. AND THOSE HAVE TIMELINES AND THEY WANT TO PUSH THEM THROUGH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, THEY DO NOT WANT TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, DELAYING A PROJECT TO MAYBE DO A MORE IN DEPTH REVIEW, OR A PARTIAL OR FULL DISAPPROVAL OF A PROJECT IF THE PROJECT IS FOUND TO BE IN A PLACE THAT IT REALLY SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN SITED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

ARIPOTCH: I’M STARTING TO GET OLD FOR DOING THIS. BUT I LOVE IT. AND I ACTUALLY FEEL PRIVILEGED TO HAVE EVER FOUND FISHING BECAUSE MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN WAY DIFFERENT IF I HADN’T. I MEAN, YOU COULD NEVER SAY. BUT I HAVE NO EDUCATION OTHER THAN HIGH SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, AND THIS FIT MY LIFE SO PERFECTLY. AN ACE AND CHUCK AND CHRIS AND PAT AND EVERY GUY AT THIS DOCK AND EVERY GUY THAT DOCK AND THAT DOCK IF IT WAS PERFECT AND THE GOVERNMENT WAS PUSHING US INTO DOING IT!

DEVELOPERS, AS WELL AS STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS, ARE AWARE THERE WILL BE ECONOMIC IMPACTS ON THE FISHING INDUSTRY.

BOEM SAYS IT WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH THE FISHING COMMUNITY TO BETTER UNDERSTAND AND ADDRESS CONCERNS.

A VINEYARD WIND SPOKESPERSON REPLIED THAT DISCUSSIONS WITH FISHERMEN HAVE LED TO A $40 MILLION MITIGATION FUND. THE MONEY WOULD GO TOWARDS GEAR, REVENUE LOSS AND VESSEL MODIFICATION.

BRADY, ARIPOTCH AND LAPP SAY THAT’S NOWHERE NEAR ENOUGH.

BRADY: “SO WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE US? WE ARE DOMESTIC FOOD PRODUCTION. I MEAN, DIDN’T COVID TEACH US ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE YOUR FOOD COMES FROM MATTERS?”

LAPP: NATIONAL FOOD SECURITY IS A BIG DEAL. YOU KNOW, THEY’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A NATIONAL SEAFOOD SOURCE ANYMORE, YOU’RE GOING TO BE EATING IMPORTS FROM CHINA. AND I THINK PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THAT YOU’RE GOING TO PERMANENTLY DESTROY A FOOD SOURCE, A NATIONAL FOOD SOURCE.

BRADY: THE FACT THAT BOEM AND THEIR OWN DOCUMENTS SAY THERE WILL BE NO–THERE’LL BE A NEGLIGIBLE EFFECT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, BUT MAYBE IN THE FUTURE IS IF IT’S LIKE NEVER NEVERLAND, BUT MEANWHILE, WE’RE GOING TO DESTROY THE OCEAN’S PRODUCTIVITY?

ARIPOTCH: HOW CAN YOU MAKE AN EXPERIMENT WITH SO MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES? WHAT HAPPENS IF IT DOESN’T WORK?