Biased and defamatory. These two words describe EcoRI writer Mary Lhowes’ portrayal of Green Oceans President Lisa Quattrocki Knight’s September 19th presentation on wind industry plans for coastal waters off Rhode Island and Southern Massachusetts—and EastBayRI’s decision to reprint such a one-sided version.

 Lhowe’s assertion that Green Oceans is using “small-group meetings and promises of forthcoming legal actions to block wind projects” is laughable from the get-go. Multinational wind corporations—recipients of hundreds of billions in U.S. subsidies and tax credits—are being obstructed by big bad Green Oceans. Seriously?

 Rebutting each of Lhowe’s misrepresentations of Dr. Quattrocki Knight’s talk will put this essay well over the word count. Those of us shouldering this David and Goliath fight against massive industrialization of the Outer Continental Shelf from Maine to the Carolinas don’t have the energy to counter every deceitful word written about us. I ask readers to decide for themselves as to whether “Two sides to the wind debate” (a misrepresentation itself, given the wind industry talking points parroted throughout) accurately reflects the presentation in question by watching it at: tiny.one/greenoceans.

The vested interests of those on whom Lhowes relies for her disinformation merit noting. “Captain” Dave Monti appears frequently in Lhowe’s habitual diatribes against Green Oceans. Monti is a company man, for years pocketing money from Ørsted.

Brown University’s “Associate Provost for Sustainability” Stephen Porder, makes his debut in this sad piece, standing in for Brown Professor Timmons Roberts. It was Roberts who coached his undergrads in the writing of a term paper titled, “Discourses of Climate Delay in the Campaign Against Offshore Wind: A Case Study from Rhode Island,” which mainly highlighted Roberts’ own lackluster research. It was a conspiratorial hit job on Green Oceans—co-sponsored by Climate Jobs Rhode Island, which never acknowledged they accept money from Ørsted. EcoRI ran with it, referring to it as “the Brown Study,” misrepresenting the unsigned student paper as a legitimate, peer-reviewed study. “Cherry-picking” was a favored charge against Green Oceans in the paper, a phrase used ad nauseam and nonsensically by Roberts, Lhowe, and now Porder. 

But back for a moment to Monti who declares, “Fish abundance of cod and black sea bass are greater in the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF) today than before construction.” RI Commercial Fishermen’s Association President Chris Brown—who, unlike Monti, is on the Block Island Sound most every day— disagrees. “There are no codfish near BIWF and fishing is generally very poor there, regardless of species. Mr. Sustainability from Brown knows absolutely nothing about marine biology. The Cox’s Ledge ecosystem has been severely damaged by recent offshore wind construction and will be destroyed should the Revolution Wind project go forward. The towers will reduce the abundance of zooplankton and phytoplankton. The intakes on the substation transformers will destroy cod larvae—all floating larvae—scallop, lobster, crab, and many other species.” 

Having organized the September 19th presentation, I stand to correct Lhowe’s audience count and her assumption of their “mostly supportive” predisposition toward Dr. Quattrocki Knight’s message. Well over 100 people attended, most of whom came to listen and decide for themselves. By the presentation’s end, it did appear the majority had serious concerns about the planned offshore wind developments.

The eye-opening effect of truth and open discourse is precisely why wind industrialists and their acolytes are hammering grassroots organizations like Green Oceans—why they are so desperate to discredit and silence us. Please help by watching the presentation and spreading the word about the environmental travesty and economic boondoggle that is being perpetrated by Big Wind.

Constance Gee

Westport