Writer: Joshua Andino
2 min read June 2023 — As New Jersey ramps up its offshore wind ambitions, local groups cause blowback, claiming environmental concerns come first.
As part of its clean energy goals, New Jersey has been actively pursuing offshore wind projects off of the Jersey shore coastline for the last decade. In a major milestone last year, Ocean Wind 1, a major offshore wind project by Denmark-based Ørsted, awarded major construction projects that are set to break ground later this year, pending the final regulatory approvals. Now local groups arguing that offshore wind is environmentally harmful are mounting pressure on local officials and attempting to stop the projects.
Save Long Beach Island, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protect Our Coast NJ filed an appeal last Friday in state Superior Court of New Jersey’s determination that Ocean Wind I aligns with state regulations around coastal management. Some of the groups have been linked to oil-industry interests, with FastCompany reporting that Protect Our Coast NJ’s donations are sent to the Caesar Rodney Institute, a Delaware-based think-tank whose members have advocated against subsidies for EV purchases, offshore wind projects in Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey, and financially supported by the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers as well as the American Energy Alliance.
Regardless of their potential backers, their lawsuit attempting to block the development of New Jersey’s offshore wind is a delay tactic, said Jeanne Fox, former head of the state’s Department of Environmental Protection. “Numerous environmental studies have been done regarding offshore wind, for this specific Ocean Wind project and in general,” she pointed out. “The greatest threat to the ocean habitat, sea mammals and fish is the climate crisis. Offshore wind will lessen the need to burn more fossil fuels.”
Officials in Atlantic and Cape May counties, which include Atlantic City and Ocean City, respectively, have also started to push back on the projects, which are expected to create about 11,000 jobs throughout their development. In February, a group of 30 mayors signed-off on a letter supporting a moratorium on the projects arguing it would reduce whale deaths, while Cape May County has hired law firms to fight the Ocean Wind 1 and other offshore wind projects in the vicinity. The Atlantic County Board of Commissioners will vote on Tuesday on whether to support an immediate moratorium on the development of offshore wind projects.
Three federal agencies have confirmed that the development of offshore wind projects was not related to the whales’ cause of death.
In a separate statement, Liz Thomson, a spokesperson for Ocean Wind 1, said the project has been under scrutiny for over a decade now. “Ocean Wind 1 remains steadfast in its efforts to educate the public, elected officials and stakeholders throughout the permitting process, construction, and operations phases of the project. It is important to note that BOEM recently issued a robust 2,300 page Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) on Ocean Wind 1, which is the product of review by nine federal agencies, three state agencies, and over one hundred consulting parties, including local municipalities, tribes, and community organizations,” adding that, “As noted in the FEIS, the regulatory review of the project and lease area began in 2011.The regulatory process has been lengthy, thorough, and transparent.”
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