To the Editor:
The persistent, percussive noise is inescapable, as the foundation pilings on Beach Road near Tisbury Market are pounded in place for the fast-approaching offshore wind facility. It is frightening to realize how much louder all this will be to the sea life around us as the actual wind farm construction gets underway, water amplifying sound. Our dog is terrorized by the power and constancy of the noise, and we live approximately ¾ of a mile from the work, and on land. The noise that some of our military’s underwater maneuvers create has been shown to disorient and even kill dolphins with their sensitive sonar abilities. Some whales also have this echolocation ability, while others use low-frequency sound waves to communicate with one another.
Our home waters are shared by the endangered right whales. It is estimated that fewer than 350 of them still survive. We fear the noise regarding all the ocean construction required to anchor the huge windmills has not been meaningfully considered. Living relatively near the land-based construction and experiencing the noise it generates makes us very worried.
Is there anything that can be done, or perhaps undone?
Susan Jones and Bruce Yauney
Vineyard Haven
