Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project Moving Forward On Schedule

Baseless claims from fossil-fuel-linked groups repeatedly disproven by scientists

Richmond, VA — Construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project (CVOW) remains on schedule following a routine order from a federal judge requesting supplemental documentation from Dominion Energy. This documentation will assist Dominion in dismissing a baseless petition from a Koch-funded disinformation group, the Heartland Institute, most famous for a decades-long effort to deny the negative health impacts of smoking.

Contrary to repeatedly debunked claims perpetuated in the Heartland petition, there is no scientific evidence that offshore wind construction has any negative impact on whale populations. Surveying tools used to geophysically map the area during pre-construction use high-frequency sources that are absorbed by the water and do not reach the whale population. Marine conservation scientists at Duke University recently concluded there is “zero chance” of a link between the surveying technology and whale deaths.

“The Coastal Offshore Wind Project has gone through extensive environmental review from federal and state agencies and has checked every box for responsible development and wildlife management. This will be the biggest offshore wind project in the United States, and an essential step to tackling the single greatest threat to wildlife, our economy, and human health – climate change. We look forward to celebrating this monumental achievement when the turbines start to spin in 2026,” said Victoria Higgins, Virginia Director for the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.

Upon completion, the CVOW project will produce enough clean, renewable energy to power 660,000 homes.

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Chesapeake Climate Action Network is the first grassroots organization dedicated exclusively to raising awareness about the impacts and solutions associated with global warming in the Chesapeake Bay region. Founded in 2002, CCAN has been at the center of the fight for clean energy and wise climate policy in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, DC.