Carly Baldwin,Patch Staff Posted Tue, Aug 20, 2024 at 10:50 pm ET So far, plans have collapsed for two big wind farms that were proposed to be built off the Jersey Shore: Danish wind developer Orsted pulled out last October and in January, Equinor and British Petroleum (BP) terminated plans for Empire Wind 2, which would have taken up 80,000 acres of ocean from Sandy Hook down to Long Branch, 19 miles out. Both companies cited "inflation, interest rates and supply chain disruptions" as reasons ... Read more

At a community education meeting today in Manasquan, Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) and a host of experts and public officials informed local residents about the dangers of high-powered transmission cables that are slated to make landfall in Sea Girt and continue through Manasquan, Wall, and Howell as part of the planned Atlantic Shores South offshore wind project. “The reckless push by the Biden and Murphy Administrations to stand-up expensive and expansive industrial wind farms in size and s... Read more

By Jim Lonergan - Editor At a recent field hearing in Brigantine, Congressmen Jeff Van Drew (D-2) and Chris Smith (D4) led a discussion on the implications of the proposed offshore wind programs. They were joined by PA Congressman Scott Perry (PA-10) and a panel of experts to provide their viewpoints to New Jersey residents about the potential impact of these initiatives. This article, part of the TAPinto Gold Coast offshore wind energy series, is focused on the possible financial effects offsh... Read more

Dan Radel Asbury Park Press The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' dredge boat Murden has vacuumed up about 20,000 cubic yards of sand out of the Manasquan Inlet so far as it works to dig out the dangerous shoal that formed this summer. That converts to about 64 million pounds of wet sand removed from the inlet since the work began in earnest this past weekend. The job is not complete, so the final total figures to be higher once the shoal is completely removed. The Murden, which is a 156-foot split ... Read more

Dan Radel Asbury Park Press/USA TODAY NETWORK JERSEY - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineer’s 56-foot split-hull hopper dredge Murden will stay put and resume pumping the sand that has built up on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the Manasquan Inlet. Army Corps’ Philadelphia District spokesperson Stephen Rochette said the Murden will resume dredging operations possibly this weekend, depending on sea conditions, and remain for one to two weeks. The Shore was facing the effects of Tropical Storm Debby ... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today issued the following statement marking the 10th anniversary of the enactment of the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act: “Ten years ago today, the Sean and David Goldman International Child Abduction Prevention and Return Act—which I authored to help bring home American children who have been abducted overseas—was enacted into law. While the ‘Goldman Act’ is helping to reunite families and prevent possible future a... Read more

By Rebecca Heath | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com Brookdale Community College is developing a program that will equip adults who are on the autism spectrum with a variety of life skills, from meal preparation to financial literacy. The Achieve Academy for Adults with Autism, which is slated to begin taking clients in 2025 at Brookdale’s satellite campus in Wall, seeks to fill a gap in services for individuals with special needs who are no longer eligible to receive public school-provided support. “... Read more

News12NJ Report Tony Caputo News 12 continues to keep an eye on the unexpected shoal (sandbank) that developed after this past weekend's storm in Point Pleasant Beach, Ocean County. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers responded to Rep. Chris Smith's request for help on Monday, saying the dredge boat “Murden” is scheduled to be in the area later this month. Locals say it might be dangerous to boaters and those who use watercraft. It could also negatively affect the local seafood businesses if they c... Read more

By Chris Sheldon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work Tuesday to remove the massive build-up of sand on the southern shore of the Manasquan Inlet that has concerned multiple local officials, authorities said. Crews from the Corps have started dredging the waterway and removing the sand on the Point Pleasant Beach side of the inlet, according to Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th Dist. In a follow-up letter to Army Corps Commander Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Beeman on Mo... Read more

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) has begun dredging the Manasquan Inlet today to address the dangerous build-up of sand along the jetty on the Point Pleasant Beach side of channel, said Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester), who has been in constant communication with Army Corps officials on board the USACE Dredge Murden. “We are very grateful to Lt. Col. Beeman and his team from the Philadelphia Army Corps for their quick response to our concerns over the dangerous shoaling in the Manasquan ... Read more