More than 50 demonstrators marched from Long Beach to Island Park Saturday afternoon to object overseas wind jobs such as the 54 turbines to be developed 14 miles off the coast.
The protesters held indications that read “Long Beach will not be purchased” and “End It!” as they marched throughout the bridge separating the 2 neighborhoods.
Secure Our Coast Long Island NY, a Long Beach-based group that opposes overseas wind, arranged the rally to accompany a nationwide day of action sponsored by National Offshore-Wind Opposition Alliance, based in California. Other rallies were set up in places such as Morro Bay, California; Richmond, Virginia; and Ocean City, New Jersey.
Christina Kramer, a board member of Protect Our Coast Long Island NY, stated the protesters stood in uniformity to oppose “the devastating, pricey and ineffective overseas wind market.”
Christina Kramer attends to the crowd in front of Long Beach Municipal Government Saturday. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
New york city wishes to establish 9,000 megawatts of overseas wind energy by 2035, which can power as much as 6 million homes, according to the New york city State Energy Research Study and Advancement Authority. The push for overseas wind energy is implied to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that researchers state are an essential motorist of environment modification.
However speakers Saturday stated turbines interfere with the marine environment, especially impacting whales, and limitation offered locations for industrial fishing.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has actually stated there are “no recognized links in between big whale deaths and continuous overseas wind activities.” Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing equipment stay the leading threats for whales, according to the federal company.
The demonstrators were confident President-elect Donald Trump would follow through on his project guarantee to suppress overseas wind jobs.
” We’re here to hold his hands to the fire,” Kramer stated.
Concentrate On Long Beach
Long Beach ended up being a centerpiece in the overseas wind dispute when the global energy business Equinor described a task, Empire Wind 2, that required running a transmission cable television through the city. That job stays on hold after Gov. Kathy Hochul banned a costs in 2023 that might have enabled it to advance.
However another Equinor job, Empire Wind, is continuing. That $7 billion job, which would power parts of New york city City, would be sited 14 miles off Long Beach. It is anticipated to start complete industrial operation in 2027, Newsday has actually reported.
Kevin Kelley, of Atlantic Beach, was among a handful of wind energy advocates who participated in the rally Saturday. He dismissed the protesters’ objections to overseas wind.
” They do not acknowledge the significance of having options to nonrenewable fuel sources,” he stated.
However Mike Jacobs, of Wantagh, stated the ocean is not implied for industrialization.
” The other crucial thing is the spiritual accessory to what the ocean represents in the soul of individuals that genuinely enjoy the ocean,” he stated.
Numerous political leaders participated in the rally, which started near Long Beach Town hall and concluded in front of the Island Park Town workplace.
State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick (R-Malverne) advised the protesters to remain informed on the problems.
” This is our home,” she stated. “I do not wish to see windmills off our stunning boardwalk.”
State Sen. Patricia Canzoneri-Fitzpatrick at the rally. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
At Island Park, the focus moved to battery energy storage systems that are developed to save power produced by sustainable sources like wind. Island Park was among a number of Long Island neighborhoods where a center had actually been proposed.
Town Mayor Michael McGinty stated “wind energy and lithium batteries are not the response” to “decrease the carbon footprint.”
Source: NewsDay.