Tag Archives: Heather Mann
Offshore wind looked like a sure thing for Oregon — until it wasn’t.
A push to bring floating offshore wind technology to the Southern Oregon coast was gaining momentum. The Oregon Department of Energy saw floating offshore wind playing a critical role in the state’s, and the region’s renewable energy goals. The Biden administration had ambitious national goals for developing offshore wind, and the Oregon Coast played a key role. For the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, the years-long process of identifying areas for development and selecting potential bidders to see if the technology would work off the coast was coming to a close. And then, in a single week in late September — after years of effort, and less than three weeks before BOEM officials expected to choose a company to develop offshore wind — everything fell apart. more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 13:09
Wave Energy: Big waves off Oregon coast fuel cutting-edge effort to harness the ocean for electricity
The effort is different from the contentious offshore wind leases planned along the southern Oregon coast. The wave test site is experimental, has a smaller footprint and could directly benefit coastal economies. It also was developed with community input, winning local support. “Wave energy is incredibly attractive as a future renewable power source,” said Bryson Robertson, director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center at Oregon State University. (more project links) “Not only is it capable of generating power close to where we need it, but it can generate it at the time we need it and we can predict it. Which is very useful and powerful for meeting consumer demand.” “It’s different from wind and solar because wave energy just keeps going and going,” Hales said. “It’s more reliable. It could become an essential part of a diversified energy portfolio.” more, >>CLICK TO READ<< 09:39
Oregon seafood industry calls on Gov. Tina Kotek to halt offshore wind energy development
A coalition of independent fishing boat operators, seafood companies and industry groups is calling on Gov. Tina Kotek to ask the federal government to stop a planned auction for floating wind energy projects off the Oregon Coast. In a letter to Kotek on Tuesday, the more than 100 signatories said she should stop the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from moving forward with its plan to auction offshore wind site leases until the state has finalized its own roadmap for offshore wind development. “We’re saying no auction until the roadmap is complete,” said Heather Mann, executive director of the Newport-based Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, which signed the letter. more, >>click to read<< 12:43
Oregon: Fishing group reacts to BOEM news on offshore wind
Despite overwhelming opposition from tribes, fishing organizations and coastal communities, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the release of the final wind energy areas (WEAs) off Oregon’s south coast today. The WEAs remain unchanged from the draft areas released earlier this year. State agencies, fishermen, environmentalists, state legislators and others raised significant concerns about the draft WEAs, apparently to no avail. “This is a slap in the face to the many stakeholders who have been trying to engage with BOEM for the last few years,” said Heather Mann, Director of the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative. “BOEM is a rogue federal agency pushing a dangerous agenda largely unchecked. BOEM will stop at nothing until our oceans are littered with wind turbines and all just to meet an arbitrary political deadline.” more, >>click to read<< 10:24Oregon fishermen, tribes angered by surprise announcement on offshore wind energy areas
Federal officials say Oregon’s wind energy areas were developed “following extensive engagement and feedback from the state, Tribes, local residents, ocean users, federal government partners, and other members of the public” and are based on reducing conflicts with ocean users, particularly commercial fishermen. The areas avoid 98% of the locations recommended for exclusion due to their importance as commercial fishing grounds, they said. But local groups representing fishermen and Indigenous communities said that narrative is inaccurate and the federal government’s engagement with local communities was perfunctory at best, failing to take into account suggested impacts on local fishing areas, the environment and views that are sacred to tribes. The groups said the announcement caught them by surprise since Gov. Tina Kotek had asked the federal agency last June to pause identifying and leasing offshore wind areas so the state could fully evaluate potential impacts on the environment and economy. more, >>click to read<< 10:07
‘They’re not listening’: Fishermen, tribes voice concerns on two Oregon coast sites eyed for offshore wind farms
Last week, the Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced two draft Wind Energy Areas off the southern Oregon coast. One of them is offshore of Brookings, near the California border, the other off the coast of Coos Bay. The areas also represent prime fishing grounds and important cultural areas to local Indigenous tribes. Heather Mann, executive director of the Newport-based Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, said it feels like a lot of stakeholders’ concerns are being left unheard. “They’re not listening to coastal communities. They’re not listening to the fishing industry. They’re not listening to congressional representatives,” said Mann, whose organization represents 32 vessels that fish in the area. “Fishermen are not just concerned about being displaced from fishing grounds, though that is a critical piece. ” Video, >click to read< 11:35
Kotek calls for pause on offshore wind turbines
Gov. Tina Kotek is joining a chorus of voices, including tribes and commercial fishermen, urging the Biden administration to slow down its push for floating wind farms in the Pacific Ocean off the state’s southern coast. Regulators are now preparing a draft report outlining where in the areas turbines may be built safely while minimizing harm to fisheries and marine life. Members of the West Coast fishing industry, however, claim that the bureau is ignoring their concerns. They worry that floating offshore wind farms will displace boats from highly productive fishing grounds and could irreversibly damage the California Current ecosystem. >click to read< 09:20
Oregon Fishing Industry Fed Up With Agency ‘Ignoring’ Their Offshore Wind Concerns
The West Coast Seafood Processors Association, the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative and the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission claim their concerns about proposed offshore wind project call areas, areas where the agency is seeking public comment, and their impact on key fish populations due to the turbines’ electromagnetic field (EMF) cables, have been ignored by BOEM. They also worry about the impact offshore winds would have on their businesses and the entire state’s economy. “BOEM has told us that if Oregon doesn’t want this, they will back off and pursue other offshore wind areas, and we’ve made it pretty clear to them that Oregon doesn’t want this, and they’re still pushing forward,” Lori Steele, executive director of the seafood trade group West Coast Seafood Processors Association, told the DCNF. “They are giving us nothing but lip service,” she added. >click to read< 09:43
Pacific Fishery Management Council says Rescind Oregon OSW Call Areas
The Pacific Fishery Management Council acted today to join a chorus of voices recommending the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management rescind the current Oregon call areas designated for floating offshore wind energy development. Heather Mann, Executive Director of the Midwater Trawlers Cooperative and one of the leaders of the informal coalition Protect US Fishermen said in her testimony, “we hear the climate crisis is so severe that collateral damage to birds, whales, the California current ecosystem, food security, even to fisheries, fishermen and rural community economies is an accepted part of the transition to cleaner energy. That is an unacceptable premise to me, and I hope it is to you as well.” The motion passed unanimously (10-0) with four abstention votes cast by the state representatives for Oregon, Washington, and California as well as the NMFS representative. >click to read< 19:24
Oregon Senators, Governor responds to offshore wind farms concerns during clean energy tour
During a clean energy tour of Oregon, KATU questioned the US Secretary of Energy, Jennifer Granholm, Oregon Senators Ron Wyden, Jeff Merkley and Governor Kate Brown on issues surrounding wind farms slated for the Southern Oregon Coast. “It’s too early honestly we don’t know it’s a lot like the wave energy technology it’s still being built it’s still being created,” said Oregon Gov. Kate Brown when asked if she would advocate funding for preliminary wind farm testing ahead of federal leases planed for Southern Oregon offshore areas. “We really need to understand all of the impacts upfront before we rush into this,” said Heather Mann Executive Director of the Midwater Trawlers’ cooperative. >click to read< 09:56
Floating offshore wind generator proposals worry fishing industry
From her home overlooking Yaquina Bay on the Oregon coast, Kelley Retherford can watch as commercial fishing boats arrive at the nearby Port of Newport, delivering their catch to one of several seafood processors that line the waterfront. Saltwater is in her family’s blood, she said. Along with her husband, Mike, and their four adult children, they own and operate four fishing trawlers, harvesting everything from Pacific whitefish and hake to pink shrimp and Dungeness crab. That way of life, however, may be disrupted by a growing interest in offshore wind generators to help achieve ambitious government-mandated zero-carbon energy goals. photos, >click to read< 18:50
Most folks along the Oregon Coast don’t want huge wind farms that threaten fishing areas
On June 15th the federal government, aka Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, will be in Newport to hear public comment on plans to install huge wind farms right off the Oregon Coast. Although BOEM, a federal agency, is angling for major quantities of wind-generated electricity for those living and working along the coast, especially in the fishing industry, don’t want any twirling wind turbines because, they say, energy can be developed on land far cheaper and more reliably. Commercial fishermen are absolutely opposed to placing windmills offshore because they will take fishing areas that are now devoted to commercial fishing. Public meeting details, >click to read< 10:14
Fishermen rally in Coos Bay against offshore wind farm
Fishermen along Oregon’s coast traveled great distances to get to Coos Bay Tuesday. They’re hoping to bring awareness to their beloved industry in the face of coming offshore wind farms. Fishermen and seafood processors are taking to the streets in support of the slogan, “Protect U.S. Fishermen.” The seafood community was joined by their families and supporters to rally at the Coos Bay Boardwalk ahead of a march down Front St. to the Coos Museum. “A lot of these wind farms that are coming in are right in the middle of prime commercial fishing grounds,” says Justin Johnson, a Newport fisherman. >click to read< 09:49
Blown of the water? West Coast offshore wind farm area announcement raises concerns
Offshore wind energy is coming to Oregon, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, but the seafood industry says it’s an oncoming windstorm. These massive areas, covering 2,181 square miles, already are utilized by the fishermen to harvest nutritious, sustainable seafood proteins. As part of its process, BOEM will solicit interest from wind energy developers before doing a basic environmental assessment of the areas. Comprehensive environmental studies will be completed later, after leases are already issued and enormous investments are already made. Fishermen already are questioning the value of placing turbines in areas off Morro Bay and Humboldt Bay, Calif. >click to read< 10:53
Fishing industry seeks emergency waiver from federal fishery observer requirement.
West Coast trawlers and fishing industry leaders looking to minimize the risk of exposure to the coronavirus are asking for an emergency waiver from a requirement to carry human observers. The National Marine Fisheries Service provided a two-week waiver from observer coverage in the spring. Chris Oliver, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries, clarified in a message posted Thursday that waivers remain available on a vessel-by-vessel basis. According to a spokesman, the federal agency has issued some individual vessel waivers for trips in the past three months — all were for times when observers were not available, not for other reasons, such as a vessel operator’s concerns about the coronavirus. >click to read< 15:54
Pilot Project: Dozens of commercial fishermen tested for Coronavirus ahead of Hake season
Commercial fishing is big business in Oregon and on May 15, dozens of trawlers will leave Newport for fishing grounds off the coast. The west coast Hake season is about to start. There’s an effort to make sure crew members on trawlers are Covid-19 free. The Midwater Trawlers Cooperative represents 29 vessels. The cooperative, along with Lincoln County Public Health, the Oregon Health Authority and Samaritan Hospital in Lincoln City put together a pilot program to test crew members. >click to read< 08:01
Port of Newport may tie moorage increase to upgrades
Faced with a growing stack of infrastructure improvements needed to keep the Port of Newport operational, its management is floating a plan that would tie an increase in commercial moorage directly to electrical upgrades on Port Dock 5 and Port Dock 7. Rates would increase each of three years under a proposal for which the port is now seeking feedback. The money would be a sure source of construction funds rather than the port relying on grants, which are questionable in their availability and how they can be used, said Director of Operations Aaron Bretz. “Other ports are wrestling with the same thing — they’re trying to raise rates and not succeeding and they have these infrastructure needs,” Bretz said. >click to read<18:02
Pacific Seafood/Trident deal back in the barrel? Suit against the sale alleges violation of monopoly laws.
A lawsuit has been filed against Pacific Seafood and Trident Seafood Corporation for allegedly violating federal anti-trust laws by Trident earlier ignoring a $1.8 million offer to buy Trident – nearly $800,000 less than an offer made earlier by Innovation Marine and Front Street Marine. Attorneys for Innovation Marine and Front Street Marine contend the move was to solidify a fish processing monopoly along the Oregon Coast. Here’s a reaction by Pacific Seafood’s attorney Dan Occhipinti: Click here to read the story 08:25
