Ninth whale death renews calls in New Jersey to halt offshore wind projects

A whale washed ashore in Manasquan, New Jersey, on Monday – the ninth whale found dead since early December on the New York-New Jersey shores – further stoking the debate about what's causing the frequent mortalities along the Atlantic Coast.

"I'm currently standing on the beach a few hundred feet from the Manasquan Inlet watching yet another dead whale wash into the surf," Point Pleasant Beach Mayor Paul Kanitra posted on Facebook on Monday. "Governor, when do these stop becoming coincidences? How many more will it take?"

What's behind the whale mortalities has not been clearly established, but theories abound. Some local activists and officials blame offshore wind development in the region, claiming construction of the sites causes harm to marine animals. But federal officials have pushed back, saying that's not what the evidence shows.