South Jersey’s economy is dependent on fishing and outdoor recreation. Both could be hurt if a massive off shore wind farm is built along the coast.
U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew recently got an earful from the local fishing and tourism industries. The proposed offshore wind project could destroy NJ’s #2 industry.
Jeff Van Drew supports offshore wind, a major part of Gov. Murphy’s new green deal for New Jersey.
Van Drew heard testimony from local officials, and fishing / tourism industry reps. Fishing industry feels they’re being kept in the dark. They demand a seat at table. They want to participate in discussion of potential harmful impact of offshore wind turbines.
“Offshore wind development poses a serious threat to our sustainable fisheries”
Lack of communication between Orsted officials and local fishing industry. Van Drew asked audience if they felt properly informed. Majority said no.
SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDBACK: Why is public in the dark? Not enough balanced coverage by South Jersey newspaper and radio. Orsted, and other NJ green projects supported by liberal journalists. SJW’s burying facts?
Local electric ratepayers would be forced to subsidize. Atlantic City area taxpayers would have to financially support this project too.
Margate’s Robin Scott finds this disturbing: only the wind utility companies are providing (biased) information and research.
Offshore New Jersey wind farms: are we jumping in with limited research? Senator Brown asks: What is cost to taxpayers? Project could force a rate increase. Listen below:
Opponents compare NJ Gov Murphy’s wind energy project to the Solyndra scandal a few years ago.
Ocean Wind LLC, owns Orsted, a Danish power company. Orsted won approval from the NJ State Board of Public Utilities to build a offshore wind facility, just coast of Atlantic City.
NY & NJ awarded billions in contracts to European energy giants, Equinor of Norway and Orsted of Denmark.
NJ Board of Public Utilities gave offshore wind contract to Orsted’s Ocean Wind Project. The single largest award for offshore wind in the US.
Windfarms could be operational by 2024…. BUT…that depends on results of mandated Federal impact studies.
Lack of taxpayer funding and other subsidy could also disrupt controversial wind turbine project.
Years back, NJ Gov Christie stalled the wind project by refusing to provide taxpayer subsidy. ‘If windmills can’t make it on the free market, then we don’t need them.’
Orsted also plans to build at least one offshore platform to help limit energy loss from the 100+ miles of undersea cable they’ll need to install.
This offshore platform would be a ‘reactive compensation station’. At least one will be needed. Maybe more.
ORSTED spokesperson says there’s need for ‘reactive compensation’ for undersea, export power cables. Offshore substations collect power generated from wind farm. Converts the energy to high voltage. Purpose of RCS: compensate for reactive power generated in wind farm power system. Reactive power is unused power inside the transmission line.
Sub-stations could be located much closer to the Jersey shore line.
‘NJ Gov. Phil Murphy focused on killing oil and gas industries.’ Murphy wants 100% green energy for NJ by 2050.
What about local employment? So far, South Jersey getting much less than promised. Most jobs already filled by outsiders.
Offshore New Jersey wind turbines could be more than 850 feet tall.
Longtime fishermen forming coalitions to help protect their livelihood. Commercial fishermen chief concern: wind turbines’ impact on squid fishery. Vibration from wind turbines could affect squid & interrupt their traditional spawning grounds. Potential to lose large portion of squid fishery.
Fishermen have noticed flounder & cod avoiding underground power cables at a wind farm off Denmark. Wind power operators say ‘they won’t fully understand impact to fishing until wind farms are built.’ South Jersey is #2 in the nation, in terms of value of seafood brought ashore each year.
Foreign wind companies like Orsted claim fishing will still be allowed near offshore wind turbine fields. Many Jersey fishermen not going to risk dangerous conditions.
Orsted wind project along the New Jersey coast will cost approx $3 billion to build.
Offshore wind farm opponents warning public about cost overruns, questionable ROI, obstructed views, and how the 800+ ft wind turbines will impact fishing and wildlife.
The ACUA wind farm. It cost $12 million to build five windmills on dry land — versus $200 million to build five in the ocean.
They said the same negative things about the Alaska pipeline decades ago and just the opposite occurred. Stop the fear mongering and move forward, we need progress to stop climate change or our island will be under water!
No thanks. These farms will ruin the fishing, tourism, and real estate industries from LBI to cape May in one swoop.
As a beachfront condo owner in Atlantic City, a realtor broker for 25 years, and an Environmental Planner, I know that this humongous wind turbine project ( which has increased in height and size from the original 2017 proposal) will negatively impact our the quality of life and the economy of the New Jersey shore communities.
Van Drew has demonstrated that he has no intellectual ability to understand the “best interests” of his constituents. He ignores the impact on the livelihoods of all who are connected to the tourism and boating /fishing industries.
Van drew also has no comprehension of the need to protect our natural environment.
The lights, the noise, the height and the heat of the turbines will harm wild life in the ocean and birds & butterflies in the sky.
At the few public hearings held in April 2019, (conveniently before the influx of summer residents) Orsted promised to alleviate any negative affect occurring ‘after’ the wind turbines were constructed!
The scientific studies have been ignored by Orsted.
The cost / benefit analysis should consider that Orsted said only 50% of power will be used and that the life span of a turbine is 20-25 years. What will be the cost of repair/recycling the turbines.
Please we need to stop this dangerous project and build the wind turbines on land.
Why are New Jersey residents constantly being used as crash test dummies? Why are we the testing ground for these monstrosities?
Oh, I know. NO ONE else wants them and no-one took the bait – MONEY. But, we did. The state takeover is really working well for us isn’t it?
We are always left with the rusting skeletons of huge plans gone amuck. Abandoned casinos, sad Ocean One, a baseball field where no one plays baseball? Really? Take your wind turbine generators and put them at Rehoboth Beach ocean in Biden’s Delaware.
Or…How about putting them near Obamas waterfront family home on Martha’s Vineyard. There is plenty of wind in their ocean backyards for wind turbine generators to help save our sinking land and dire climate crisis.
We are told we are all going to perish soon without the help of our government. Look how well they took care of us during covid.
We still have to FIGHT for information that should have been provided transparently. Things are getting too scary to fall for their schtick. again. Keep the faith.