Questions About Offshore Wind Impacts Raise Bi-partisan Concern

NJ Senate President Nicholas Scutari (left) and
Assembly Speak Craig Coughlin (right)

In response to the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ (NJBPU) August announcement that four
companies have submitted proposals for up to 4,000 MW of additional offshore wind energy, NJ Senate President Nicholas Scutari and Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin released a joint statement raising serious concerns for this massive expansion, which would more than double what New Jersey already has underway. They wrote:

“The legislature has concerns about the BPU’s approach on the offshore wind projects. There are still many unanswered questions about the economic impact these projects will have on ratepayers as well as potential impacts to one of our state’s largest economic drivers, tourism at the shore. The BPU should be able to share these impacts with the communities affected and the legislature before moving forward with these new offshore projects.” -Insider, NJ

In response, NJ county and local leaders signed a joint letter to Senator Scutari and Assemblyman Coughlin welcoming their concerns. In part the letter states: “You have identified the very serious and challenging issues that many of us have been raising for some time now. It is refreshing to see the leadership you have taken on the potential negative impacts of the build-as-fast-as-possible approach that the State of New Jersey is currently taking on offshore wind.”

COA is grateful and encouraged by these bipartisan questions and concerns being raised and urges citizens to continue raising their voices to elected officials to help build momentum to stop the reckless pace of offshore wind.