There was a time when Greenpeace would throw itself in front of whaling boats to protect whales from harm but, now, this same organization, funded by tax deductible contributions from whale lovers, has thrown itself and its money, behind a two week political ad campaign to promote an industrial development, Cape Wind (a 130 440 foot tall wind turbine project slated for 25 square miles of the Nantucket Sound less than five miles off the coast of Cape Cod, MA), that can cause serious effects to those same endangered marine mammals.

According to The Whale and Dolphin Society new studies show off shore wind farms pose potentially devastating threats to whales and dolphins during and after construction.
The acoustic impact of pile driving, can be heard by marine creatures in shallow water up to 80km (50 miles) away, permanently damaging their hearing at close range and causing dramatic changes to their behavior at distances of 20km (approximately 12.5 miles).

Additionally, the laying of cables and disturbance from service vessels will mean the damage will continue long after construction is over.

Six Northern Right Whales, one of the most endangered animals on the face of the earth with less than 400 remaining, have been spotted in the Nantucket Sound from 2001-2005. These documented sightings are listed on NOAA’s database for the Northern Right Whale. Additionally, a scientific satellite study showed a Northern Right Whale spending a significant amount of time in the project area.

The loss of even one Northern Right Whale due to damaged hearing and loss of habitat can tip the balance to the survival of this species, already endangered to the point of extinction from historical hunting and now ship strikes and entanglements.

What will Greenpeace do then?