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FalseEnergyLast updated: June 7, 2026

Offshore wind turbines kill whales

There is no evidence that offshore wind turbines or survey work are causing recent whale deaths along the U.S. East Coast. Federal agencies and marine scientists instead point to known threats such as vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement.

What we know

Donald Trump and other critics of offshore wind have repeatedly claimed that turbines or related survey work are killing whales. Available evidence does not support that claim. NOAA, BOEM, and multiple reporting summaries have all said there is no evidence linking current offshore wind survey activity to whale mortality.

The whale strandings often cited in these claims are real, but the proposed explanation is not supported. NOAA has investigated unusual mortality events involving humpback whales and found that many examined deaths were linked to vessel strikes or entanglement in fishing gear. Those are established, well-documented threats to large whales and remain the main human-caused risks identified by marine scientists.

Federal agencies have also emphasized that early-stage offshore wind survey work is subject to mitigation rules, including exclusion zones, protected-species observers, reporting requirements, and shutdown protocols. NOAA states that developers have not been authorized to kill whales and that there are no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities.

That does not mean offshore wind development has zero environmental impact or that continued monitoring is unnecessary. Large marine infrastructure projects can create noise, vessel traffic, and habitat disruption that deserve ongoing study. But the stronger claim, that offshore wind is causing the recent whale deaths cited in political rhetoric, is not supported by current evidence.

Common claims

  • Offshore wind turbines are killing whales off the U.S. East Coast.Not supported
  • Federal agencies have found no evidence linking current offshore wind survey work to whale deaths.Supported
  • Known major threats to large whales include vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement.Supported

Evidence hierarchy

01NOAA FAQ on offshore wind and whalesNOAA states there is no scientific evidence linking offshore wind site characterization surveys to whale deaths and no known links between large whale deaths and ongoing offshore wind activities.02BOEM offshore wind activities and marine mammal protectionBOEM explains mitigation measures and states that assessed survey activity is not likely to injure whales.03BBC fact-check on Trump's whale claimBBC reports that NOAA found no known links between recent whale mortality and offshore wind surveys.04Tethys summary of offshore wind development and whalesSummarizes current evidence and protective measures, again finding no link between ongoing wind activities and large whale deaths.05Experts weigh in as Trump labels offshore wind dangerousMarine scientists quoted say there is no evidence linking whale deaths to turbine activity.

All sources

Related terms

Trump Is A LiarFirehose of Falsehood