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WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the impacts of offshore wind development. This report was requested in May 2023 by Representatives Jeff Van Drew (R-NJ-02), Bruce Westerman (R-AR-04), Chris Smith (R-NJ-04), and Andy Harris (R-MD-01). 

“Rising global temperatures, worsened by our unrelenting reliance on fossil fuels and high carbon emitting-energy sources, continue to threaten marine life and habitats,” said Amber Hewett, senior director of offshore wind energy at the National Wildlife Federation. “This report indicates what we already know: offshore wind energy, when developed responsibly, with meaningful engagement from Tribal and coastal communities, is one of the most effective tools we have to reduce pollution, increase energy independence, and keep our air and water clean. While offshore wind presents potential risks, those risks can be significantly reduced through responsible siting, robust mitigation measures, and ongoing environmental monitoring—ensuring that we can meet our clean energy goals while protecting wildlife every step of the way.”


Report Highlights

1. On the impact to addressing climate change, the report notes that, “According to an October 2024 analysis, deployment of the currently planned or proposed offshore wind farms in the Atlantic and Gulf coasts could reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 5 percent by 2035.” 
2. On the impact of acoustic disturbances from surveys and construction,, “BOEM determined that these surveys are unlikely to injure marine mammals, and two experts we interviewed said that surveys for oil and gas development on the Outer Continental Shelf has used more powerful survey acoustic tools without resulting in whale strandings”
3. The that offshore wind activity is not connected to marine mammal deaths.
4. We applaud the report’s constructive recommendations, particularly that would allow BOEM to better support capacity building for Tribal engagement, and , which would require the agency to develop guidance for standardized data collection and sharing across projects.
5. .


Background and Additional Facts 

Offshore wind projects are carefully planned to first avoid, then minimize and mitigate impacts on both marine life and coastal communities by relying on best available science. 

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), among other agencies, require strict protective measures for offshore activities by all industries, including offshore wind. These include exclusion zones around vessels or sound sources, and visual monitoring and reporting by independent Protected Species Observers during all phases of offshore wind energy development.

The sonar used for offshore wind is quieter than the seismic airguns used in oil and gas surveys or military sonar—both of which are more commonly used in marine environments. At most, offshore wind surveys disturb (but do not injure or kill) marine mammals, with significantly lower and shorter exposure levels than oil and gas or military sonar—which means less severe impacts to marine mammals compared to the fossil fuel status quo.

During offshore wind development, Protected Species Observers monitor marine mammals and other protected animals to minimize the possibility of vessel strikes or other potential disturbances. Developers also follow vessel speed restrictions and halt construction seasonally based on the presence of protected species to minimize the chances of wildlife impacts. 

Surveys and pile driving must pause if a marine mammal comes too close to the vessel—especially if the animal is endangered or enters a designated shutdown zone. Activity remains on hold until the animal has safely moved away.

Experts affirm that the level of noise from operational turbines is expected to have minimal to no impact on marine wildlife. University of Rhode Island bioacoustics experts found turbine noise at the Block Island Wind Farm is so low that it blends in with background noise past 164 feet of distance. Installed turbines are far quieter than other ocean activities, including ship traffic, military operations and fossil fuel exploration and extraction.