Rep. Callahan: DEEP Needs Regulations to Mitigate Impact of Offshore Wind Projects on Wildlife, Fisheries

The Environment Committee held its first public hearing of this legislative session on Friday, January 31, 2025. One of the bills receiving testimony concerns mitigating effects of offshore wind projects on wildlife and fisheries. This proposal requires the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to adopt regulations regarding the mitigation of future project proposals on wildlife and fisheries.

I am concerned about the adverse effects on Connecticut’s fishing industry of these projects.

There is bipartisan support on the committee for this proposal. DEEP is against it, saying there is enough research looking into this, but I’m hearing the opposite from the fishing industry: that it is having a severely detrimental effect.

While DEEP officials noted that they worked closely through the energy procurement process to develop standards and compensatory mitigation for the fishing industry as well as wildlife impacts throughout these procurements.

To me it sounds like if they put up enough money toward mitigation that’s enough. I’m in favor of this bill because what I’m hearing is there is some impact, and it does affect marine life but DEEP needs to study it further.

I know from speaking with fishermen that offshore wind farms between Nantucket and Block Island have caused a massive impact, including whale strandings. These wind farms absolutely have an impact on that, and I don’t think that’s acceptable. Just because you put up enough money to study mitigation doesn’t mean it’s not doing damage now.