Now don’t misunderstand me … I love piggies (especially the little baby oinkers) as much as anyone, but you have to admit, the phrase “you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig” is really apropos when it comes to the offshore wind industry and its efforts to bamboozle the public into believing that it’s good for the economy, totally benign for the environment, and will be California’s answer to its future energy needs.
There have been countless instances of this “adorning of the beast” in the past in the form of industry dog and pony shows and bought-off NGOs railing on the necessity of the technology to save us from climate change (bull pucky!), not to mention our governor himself, who has made offshore wind proliferation in California his pet (yes, he does seem to like projects rather beastly in nature) project.
But recently I have been noticing the efforts by local politicians to skirt the real issues that offshore wind presents, disavowing themselves as longtime proponents of offshore wind in our state, and telling the public that nothing is decided, nothing is clear, that it’s all just up in the air … painting the ugly face of port industrialization with not just a nice rosy hue of lipstick but going just that one step further by adding a nice foundation of concealing powder and goo. County Supervisor Dawn Ortiz Legg happens to be one of the first public issue cosmetologists that comes to mind (she’s been taking lessons from the folks at the Pacific Offshore Wind Conference yearly).
Just recently, in an AVAC (Avila Valley Advisory Council) meeting, the issue of the pending industrial marine terminal was being brought up, and folks were apprised of not just the cosmetic changes to their community but the traffic, economic, environmental, and safety impacts that they would be experiencing. At the end of the meeting she demurred holding the position that it had nothing to do with all the folks at AVAC and the community they represent, and that it was nothing to be concerned about and that studies were in process. Not once have I ever heard her be transparent enough to affirm her definite position as a longtime supporter and active proponent of the industry, and that she is catering to a handful of union workers who will get good-paying, temporary jobs constructing an industrial port. She is not sufficiently representing the community as a whole; instead, she is adeptly painting the pig and sidestepping her role as a responsible leader in the process.
It’s about time the communities of Avila and Port San Luis realize the misrepresentation they have unwittingly been part of. It is time for their community to inform themselves and find out what having an industrial port in their small community will do to everyone for decades to come. Look it up online … industrial offshore wind ports ain’t pretty, no matter how much paint and powder you put on ’em.
Do yourselves a favor, check out the REACT Alliance website (reactalliance.org) and investigate on your own. What is under all the hype and lipstick is appalling! It’s time to strip the deceptive makeup off the pig and realize what Dawn is selling is only a pig that’s been adeptly sold to the public to embrace.
It’s as simple as this—a beautiful, vibrant, and healthy home is what we all really want, and offshore wind has no place in that picture (even if the pig smiles real pretty at the camera).
P.S. My sincerest apologies to my porcine friends. I hope you will forgive me for referring to you in such unlovely ways. It was done in the spirit of making a most valid point. Alas. It could be that in the final analysis, you are the better of our two species. Δ
Mandy Davis, president of REACT Alliance, writes to New Times from Los Osos. Send a response for publication to letters@newtimesslo.com.
This article appears in Jul 31 – Aug 10, 2025.
Laughable. Pulled this last FAQ from their own website. They oppose offshore wind but as a group can’t come to consensus on how we should power this state and country. A bunch of NIMBYS.
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.
Lol.