The US House Appropriations Committee has called for a one-year Department of Defense study of the impact of offshore wind turbines. The Committee believes that these turbines, when arranged in large arrays, may interfere with radars, while the vibrations generated by the operation of turbines may cause sonic interference to underwater sonar as well.
Speaking about this decision, National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA) President, Randall Luthi, noted that the amendment to the House of Representatives Department of Defense Appropriations bill will stall the industry, when there is no need to do so.
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He explained that for many years offshore wind developers and the US military have collaborated with US’s NATO allies in the North Sea alongside offshore wind turbines. The same cooperation can also take place in the US, should Congress stops ‘giving in to conspiracy theories suggesting that wind energy cannot coexist with other industries and military operations in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).’
Mr. Luthi added that some in the Congress want to sow conflict between offshore energy development and military operations. These actions lead to unnecessary delays to a sector that benefit US energy independence.
The House Appropriations Committee approved the fiscal year 2020 Defense bill. Overall, the bill provides $690.2 billion in discretionary spending authority for the Department of Defense, a rise of $15.8 billion above fiscal year 2019 and $8 billion below the request.
This regards $622.1 billion in base funding, which is an increase of $15.6 billion more than the fiscal year 2019 and $88.2 billion over the President’s request.
