Frat Party in the Whitehouse!
After two months of suspense, Monday’s vote count signals that we are finally circling the drain. As I’ve previously indicated, I’ve been sparing my nerves by not reacting seriously until I “see the whites of their eyes,” – and I have to take in with amusement some of the conflicts and narratives that are being revealed.
Not wanting to get too specific about the particulars, except to say that when a perspective cabinet of 20 or so really greedy, really wealthy white guys (and two really wealthy white gals), who all trying to bend the full force and credit of the US economy toward their individual, personal needs and desires, it is unlikely that it will end up well. And that might be really amusing as well!
The ‘collective dog’ finally wrapping its teeth around the tire of the car it has been chasing comes to mind…
But we will all have a lot of work to do in the coming year or two – although few in our conservation business have yet ventured into what that work will be. While we will remain as vigilant as we can, the last time these folks were in the driver’s seat they peppered the regulatory agencies with a coterie of mean clowns who did a lot of damage. We expect no less this time.
If you hadn’t noticed, there has been a lot of rattling of sabers and beating of shields around “Terminating all offshore wind projects on Day One.” Of course the flies in the ointment here include a lot of existing inertia: Many of the “Inflation Reduction Act,” contracts have been signed, money has been committed, workers have been hired, steel is being rolled, blade factories are being constructed, scientific studies are in process, etc. So the new administration demanding that “everyone get out of the water” will be impractical.
And should you look under the hood a little bit you would find that a lot of the companies engaged in these offshore wind activities – like BP, Shell, Statoil, Duke Energy, Exxon/Mobil, Halliburton, etc. are offshore fossil fuel companies in the offshore wind energy pool because they are all conversant in offshore infrastructure. The oilmen averse to this are the frackers who see Offshore Wind (OSW) as threats to their terrestrial business.
So these circumstances complicate “cancelling all Offshore Wind Energy on Day One” business. Not that this is overtly disappointing to us – because if you have been following us for the last few years, you know our position on OSW is to use less energy. Industry dogfights on OSW just makes the discussion more amusing to us.
But there is not a lot of clarity about what will actually happen on “Day One,” let alone if there’s is any coherent strategic policies that harmonize with anything much more than a “concept of a plan,
So what do we do?
Step lightly…
We will probably be shifting a bit away from “conflict campaigns” unless, like the last time, we could hide behind the skirts of larger organizations.
Our other options – at least for the next few years, would be to drive ocean noise solutions through research, publications, and education – and remaining out of the sights of the inimical focus of the incoming administration’s hostility to conservation and regulation.
In any event, we will survive, and it promises to be amusing!