‘Unprecedented’ Rise in Whale Deaths Along East Coast Prompts Calls for Moratorium of Offshore Wind Farms

People walk down the beach to take a look at a dead whale in Lido Beach, N.Y., on Jan. 31, 2023. Seth Wenig/AP Photo

At least 18 whales have washed up dead on the U.S. east coast in recent months, prompting concern from a group of mayors in the state of New Jersey who have called for an “immediate moratorium” on offshore wind farms.

In a letter to New Jersey congressional lawmakers, the mayors said they stand “united” in their concerns about the “unprecedented” number of whales that have washed ashore recently.