Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) today issued the following statement as Governor Murphy pushes to further limit community review for offshore wind projects on the heels of a bogus environmental impact statement published by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for the Atlantic Shores South project off the New Jersey coast:

            “Despite the unmistakable signs that offshore wind projects are economically unsustainable and pose serious dangers, Governor Murphy and the Biden administration continue to foolishly press forward with their failed policies—all at the expense of New Jersey taxpayers.

            On the federal side, the Biden administration just published a final environmental impact statement for the Atlantic Shores South project—which includes up to 200 offshore wind turbines with transmission cables making landfall in Sea Girt—that isn’t worth the paper it is written on.

            No matter how arrogantly the federal government insists it can ‘mitigate’ the admitted adverse impacts, pounding 200 wind turbines into the ocean floor across more than 102,000 acres will fundamentally transform our marine environment with devastating effects for wildlife, commercial and recreational fishermen, radar navigation, national security, and tourism.

            Not to be outdone, Governor Murphy just let Orsted off the hook for $175 million that was owed to New Jersey, even after the foreign corporation pulled out of its huge taxpayer-subsidized deal with the Governor in November.

            Under Murphy’s ongoing plans, New Jersey taxpayers are getting hit on both sides. As taxpayers, we are being asked to subsidize multibillion dollar corporations that argue they need more public monies to make these projects feasible. As energy ratepayers, we will see the cost of our energy go up.

            To rub salt into the wound, the Governor has short-circuited and moved up the already aggressive timeline for new proposals, expediting efforts so that local leaders and community stakeholders have even less time to get answers to questions raised.

            It is long past time that Biden and Murphy heed the overwhelming public outcry of environmentalists, fishermen, and local residents who have significant concerns over these offshore wind projects and stop their extreme plans to industrialize our beautiful ocean.”

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