Strings attached for Downbeach Wind Money?

Jersey shore towns like Ventnor and Margate claim they’re concerned about all those dead whales washing up onshore.

These same shore towns also care about all that grant money being thrown around by wind companies that could be killing whales.

Is this just hush money to keep towns quiet about all those dead whales? Over 10 so far.

A deal with the devil.

A so-called ‘independent’ entity was formed to hand out $15 million in cash from Danish energy company Ørsted.

An advisory committee works with trustees to review and recommend most appropriate proposals for funding. 

Some of the local committee members:

• Brian Jackson, Chief Operating Officer, Stockton University Atlantic City.
• Barbara Gaba, President of Atlantic Cape Community College.

Wind Turbine Hush Money Along South Jersey Shore.

The Pro-NJ Grantor Trust $15 million is funded by Ocean Wind and Ørsted.

12 mayors signed a letter Jan. 30 calling for a halt to all offshore work.

The mayors of North Wildwood, Brigantine, Deal, Stone Harbor, Long Beach Township, Wildwood Crest, Spring Lake, Linwood, Margate, Mantoloking, Point Pleasant Beach and Bay Head.

Longport Mayor Russo, Ventnor Mayor Holtzman and Atlantic City Mayor Small did not sign the letter.

Outgoing Mayor of Margate, Michael Becker playing defense. Becker claims he can take wind money and criticize wind companies at the same time. This conflicts with Margate official Roger McLarnon noting that wind funds are handed out in stages, suggesting some monies could be held back.

Ørsted reports that all three Downbeach towns requested Orsted Wind grant money.

• Margate $446,880
• Longport $368,750
• Ventnor $546,003

Does acting Ventnor Mayor Lance Landgraf support experimental wind farms 10 miles off the coast of South Jersey? Wind project may have killed 10 whales so far.

Wind farms. 100 wind turbines for phase #1. Sub-stations will be even closer to shore. Cabling and concrete covering acres of ocean floor. New Jersey being used as a guinea pig.

Offshore wind developer Orsted is now full owner of massive offshore wind farm planned off the coast of South Jersey. Orsted signed agreement to buy out New Jersey electric services company Public Service Enterprise Group’s private equity stake.

NJ Gov Murphy, Goldman Sachs, Orsted Wind.

Prior to becoming Governor of New Jersey, Phil Murphy made millions working for Goldman Sachs.

Ventnor Commissioner Lance Landgraf works for the State of NJ via CRDA in Atlantic City. Landgraf probably knew that taking money from the Ocean Wind Pro-NJ Grantor Trust would likely come with strings attached. No surprise there.

From Press of Atlantic City: “We applied for the grant, we received the grant. Nothing in that grant says we have to support offshore wind,” Landgraf said.

It should be noted that Landgraf, Holtzman and Kriebel all refused to attend or support a recent Save The Whales rally on Ventnor Pier.

DID YOU KNOW? Environmental organization Clean Ocean Action shared that offshore wind companies are allowed by federal regulators to disturb and harm a certain number of whales and other marine animals during wind farm pre-construction and construction activity.

Outgoing Margate Commissioner John Amodeo: ‘We’re not against windmills’.

Amodeo also supported over-sized outfall pipes and non-compliant (too high) dunes. Amodeo knows that most flood damage comes from back-bay surge. Just check insurance records.

Margate Finance & Revenue Commissioner Maury Blumberg had no comment.

https://www.pronjtrust.org/about/the-advisory-committee/

“We’ve been 100% against this project from Day One,”  Joe Mancini, mayor of Long Beach Township. He says the proposed wind farms will destroy fishing and hurt tourism. The turbines are unsightly and the energy they produce is too expensive, he claims. “I don’t care how far out they put them,” he said. Instead, he supports nuclear power as the solution to creating carbon-neutral energy. From USA TODAY