East coast mayors call for moratorium on all offshore wind activity

Dear Members of the House and Senate,

As dozens of whales and dolphins continue to wash onto our beaches, the 50 undersigned East Coast mayors demand an immediate moratorium on all offshore wind activity until the connection between offshore wind activity and marine mammal mortality occurring on our shorelines is thoroughly investigated.

Our coastal economies rely on a healthy ocean ecosystem to function, and we are increasingly concerned about the environmental impacts offshore wind may already be affecting our communities. These impacts are documented extensively in the Environmental Impact Statements prepared by BOEM in coordination with other federal agencies. In addition, NOAA has issued more than a dozen Incidental Harassment Authorization permits to developers to harass tens of thousands of marine mammals while surveying the seafloor for the development of offshore wind, many of which are threatened or endangered.

The current level of marine mammal mortality is unacceptable, and we need answers. In the absence of scientific evidence explaining the increase in marine mortality, we believe the connection between offshore wind activity and marine mammal mortality must be investigated now.

We thank you in advance for your prompt attention to this and look forward to receiving your response.

Sincerely,

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PATRICK ROSENELLO
Mayor of North Wildwood, New Jersey
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JUDITH M. DAVIES-DUNHOUR
Mayor of Stone Harbor, New Jersey
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PAUL M. KANITRA
Mayor of Point Pleasant Beach, New Jersey
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NATALIE MAGDEBURGER
Mayor of Fenwick Island, Delaware
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VINCENT SERA
Mayor of Brigantine, New Jersey
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SAMUEL COHEN
Mayor of Deal, New Jersey
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JOSEPH MANCINI
Mayor of Long Beach Township, New Jersey
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RICHARD W. MEEHAN
Mayor of Ocean City, Maryland
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BILL CURTIS
Mayor of Bay Head, New Jersey
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LANCE WHITE
Mayor of Mantoloking, New Jersey
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DON CABRERA
Mayor of Wildwood Crest, New Jersey
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JENNIFER NAUGHTON
Mayor of Spring Lake, New Jersey
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MICHAEL BECKER
Mayor of Margate, New Jersey
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DARREN MATIK
Mayor of Linwood, New Jersey
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PETE BYRON
Mayor of Wildwood, New Jersey
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JAY A. GILLIAN
Mayor of Ocean City, New Jersey
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JOHN A. PETERSON
Mayor of Seaside Park, New Jersey
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WILLIAM HUELSENBECK
Mayor of Ship Bottom, New Jersey
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LANCE LANDGRAF
Mayor of Ventnor, New Jersey
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BLAISE SCIBETTA
Mayor of Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
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DONALD FETZER
Mayor of Sea Girt, New Jersey
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ROBERT A. SABOSIK
Mayor of Point Pleasant Borough, New Jersey
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CARMEN F. AMATO, Jr.
Mayor of Berkley Township, New Jersey
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JONATHAN OLDHAM
Mayor of Harvey Cedars, New Jersey
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EDWARD BONANNO
Mayor of Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey
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KIRK LARSON
Mayor of Barnegat Light, New Jersey
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MAURICE B. HILL, Jr. DMD
Mayor of Toms River, New Jersey
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JOHN G. DUCEY
Mayor of Brick Township, New Jersey
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LORETTA GLUCKSTEIN
Mayor of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey
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THOMAS B. NICOL
Mayor of Brielle, New Jersey
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CATHERINE SNYDER
Council President, Beach Haven, New Jersey
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GREGORY E. MYHRE
Mayor of Stafford Township, New Jersey
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FRANCIS R. HODGSON
Mayor of Surf City, New Jersey
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WALTER G. LaCICERO
Mayor of Lavallette, New Jersey
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CHRISTOPHER M. CAMPION
Mayor of Spring Lake Heights, New Jersey
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PASQUALE PIPI
Mayor of Barnegat, New Jersey
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TIMOTHY DONOHUE
Mayor of Middle Township, New Jersey
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DANIEL. H PRONTI
Borough of North Arlington, New Jersey
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MICHAEL MELHAM
Township of Belleville, New Jersey
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CAROLYN D KING-SAMMONS
Elk Township, New Jersey
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DAVID SILVERTHORNE
Frankford Township, New Jersey
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DEREK ARMSTEAD
City of Linden, New Jersey
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E. STEVEN DOYLE
Borough of Island Heights, New Jersey
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OWEN HENRY
Township of Old Bridge, New Jersey
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RAY ARROYO
Mayor of Westwood, New Jersey
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MICHAEL MIKULSKI
Mayor of Southhampton Township, New Jersey
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RYAN MARTINEZ
Mayor of Butler Borough, New Jersey
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LINDA KARLOVITCH
Mayor of Kenilworth, New Jersey
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ROSE P. ARANEO
Mayor of Keyport, New Jersey
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JOHN M. KRAMER
Mayor of Old Tappan, New Jersey