New Jersey lawmakers asked for an up to 60 day halt on construction of sprawling wind farms being built off the coast during a hearing on Wednesday

About 32 whales have turned up dead along east coast beaches since December

 Federal researchers have insisted the deaths are not caused by wind turbines

New Jersey Republicans opposed to the state's offshore wind turbines asked that construction on the projects be halted for up to 60 days to see if it will reduce the number of whales that have been washing up dead on east coast beaches.

More than 30 dead whales have been found along East Coast beaches in recent months, leaving some to say turbines are to blame.  

During a Wednesday hearing, four New Jersey state senators requested that wind farm work be halted for 30 to 60 days, the latest step in a movement started by environmental groups in January to determine whether turbines could be the cause of the scores of recent whale deaths.