Frequently asked questions

1. What is the plan for offshore wind energy off the coast of Central CA?

The plan is to install 300+ floating wind turbines in water about 20 miles off the coast of Cambria. This first stage of the plan involves 376 square miles of turbines with the eventual goal of 4483 square miles and thousands of turbines by 2045.

2. Didn’t President Trump kill offshore wind with an Executive Order?

In January 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order halting further offshore wind development until a comprehensive environmental and economic review is completed. However, this pause applies to new federal offshore wind leases and permits. California, meanwhile, continues to push forward with its own plans, funding onshore infrastructure like ports and transmission corridors to support future offshore development. The state’s efforts remain largely unaffected by the federal pause and continue to move full steam ahead.

3. How large are the turbines?

The floating turbines would be approximately 1000 feet tall – as tall as a 70-story building - each with a floating base about the size of a football stadium. 

4. Will the turbines be visible from shore?

The turbines will be visible on the horizon from some historic locations, such as Piedras Blancas Lighthouse and Hearst Castle, as well as from Morro Bay and Cambria on clear days.  At night, however they will be very visible as mandatory lighting illuminates the western sky.  Furthermore, large floating substations will be required close to shore to convert electricity for efficient transmission to land. These structures will likely be highly visible from shore, industrializing ocean views all along the Central Coast.  In addition, massive 300-foot red-painted Service Operation Vessels (SOVs) will travel offshore 24/7 to support turbine maintenance, adding even more industrial presence and disruption to our coastal waters.

5. Which Central Coast communities will be impacted?

ALL Central Coast communities will be hit with higher electric bills as the costs of offshore wind development and infrastructure are passed on to ratepayers. Avila Beach/Port San Luis (PSL) and Morro Bay are also both being considered as locations for industrial Operations & Maintenance ports to serve offshore wind energy development. Although these communities would be the most impacted by industrialization of their harbors, others up and down the coast will lose their dark nighttime skies as lights from the turbines will illuminate the western horizon. Cayucos may lose Dog Beach to cable installations.

6. How is REACT Alliance funded?

As a 501c3 nonprofit organization, REACT relies on donations from supporters, and occasional fundraising events. We have no paid employees, a fully volunteer Board of Directors and we operate on a minimal budget. Our Directors are all grassroots volunteers. We do not accept donations from fossil fuel companies.

7. Does offshore wind reduce our dependence on foreign energy, or deepen it?

No. Of the 3 wind energy companies who hold Central Coast leases, 2 are owned by foreign companies and the 3rd is owned by massive, multinational investment firms like Blackstone. The idea that offshore wind will increase energy independence is misleading; these corporations are driven by profit, not community or state-level sustainability.

8. Isn’t wind energy “clean & green”?

Contrary to its environmentally friendly label, offshore wind energy development involves significant carbon emissions associated with the extraction and processing of raw materials, and the construction and transportation of vast steel structures and extensive port facilities.  Each turbine also requires dozens of gallons of synthetic lubricants and the construction and ongoing operations requires a fleet of specialized vessels powered by large amounts of diesel fuel. In addition, offshore wind infrastructure relies on sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆), which is a greenhouse gas over 25,000 times more potent than CO₂, used in high-voltage electrical components. Offshore wind’s "green" image conceals the reality: ecosystem destruction, marine life deaths, industrialized shorelines, and hidden emissions that stretch far beyond the ocean floor.

9. I hear that wind energy is very affordable and will lower my electric bill. Is that true?

No. California’s current rate of electricity stands at about $40/MWh, and experts caution that the price of floating offshore wind energy could soar to $145/MWh or more! This doesn’t even account for the billions needed to build out on-land infrastructure such as ports and transmission corridors that will need to be financed, at least partly, by the taxpayers.  In August 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported that, due to the steep price of offshore wind power, New York will pay $155 and $146 per megawatt hour for electricity from two proposed offshore wind projects. “These prices are steep, at least four times the average grid cost paid over the past year.” In Rhode Island, which hosts the only operational windfarm along the Atlantic Coast, the average rate payer is on the hook for an additional $200 a year due to offshore wind development.

10. Will wind energy development boost the Central Coast economy?  

While it’s true that some jobs will be created, most are temporary during construction. Also, many jobs will be lost in the fishing industry as well as in the tourist industry as visitors avoid the pollution, noise and congestion that come with industrialized communities, opting instead for clean, quiet, and kayak-friendly harbors elsewhere.

11. What about Climate Change?

In its Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIN) for the Vineyard Wind 1 project Volume II, the Bureau Of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) explicitly states on page B-76: “Overall, it is anticipated that there would be no collective impact on global warming as a result of offshore wind projects…”. This alarming admission from BOEM starkly contradicts the primary rationale of proponents, calling into question the justification for these costly, irreversible, and experimental ventures that pose serious environmental risks. Furthermore, according to a 2018 Harvard study, “the warming effect of wind turbines in the continental US was actually larger than the effect of reduced emissions for the first century of its operation”.

12. Does wind energy harm whales and other marine animals?

According to a 2024 report by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), whales, dolphins and sea turtles can be harmed, and even killed, by offshore wind energy development.  Very loud underwater noises from site surveys, construction, and operations can cause permanent hearing damage, making them vulnerable to ship strikes and other harms.  Displacement from breeding and feeding areas poses another significant concern.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has granted Incidental Harassment Authorizations to wind energy companies, allowing them to injure and kill thousands of protected whales, dolphins and seals. 

13. How about birds?

Early in 2025, a French windfarm was forced to pause operations after killing 300+ protected birds.  In 2023, a judge ordered another French turbine array to cease operations after Golden Eagles were killed. According to the British Times, over 1000 birds had been killed by turbines in France between 2019-2023. Meanwhile, the Morro Bay Wind Energy Area is located within a crucial corridor for millions of migrating birds.

14. How will the fishing community be impacted?

The installation of turbines could significantly impact local fishing routes and breeding grounds, leading to reduced catches and economic losses for the fishing community. The impact on commercial and recreational fishing will be substantial, with the physical presence of turbines and their vast infrastructure limiting access to traditional fishing areas, disrupting the livelihoods of coastal communities dependent on marine resources. Even prior to the installation of turbines, fish are known to be vulnerable to harm from High Resolution Geophysical surveys needed to determine turbine and cable locations.

15. Since REACT Alliance opposes offshore wind, what do you support instead?

REACT Alliance is committed to a responsible, transparent approach to energy development that safeguards our coastal communities, marine ecosystems, and public health. We are not anti-renewable. We are pro-accountability. We advocate for thoughtful, locally informed decision-making and smarter infrastructure investments that don’t sacrifice our community and planet for the financial gains of others through rushed industrial development, corporate pressure, or regulatory capture.

As a board, we bring together a diverse group of individuals united to stop offshore wind, not to promote any one alternative solution. Our varied perspectives mean we often don’t align on other energy options (debating them would be an extreme sport!) Instead, our focus remains on opposing offshore wind to protect what matters most to our planet and community.