The emergency closing of six Nantucket beaches this week while federal safety officials race to clean up large hazardous debris from a broken offshore wind turbine is “a preview of what’s to come in New Jersey if Governor Murphy gets his way with the massive offshore wind projects he is pursuing,” said Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester).

            According to the Nantucket Harbormaster, “all south shore beaches are closed to swimming, due to large floating debris and sharp fiberglass shards.” Vineyard Wind, the offshore wind corporation responsible for the broken turbine, tried to claim the debris “was not hazardous to people” but yet advised members of the public to not touch it.

            “These alarming reports show how these offshore wind turbines—some of which reach as high as the Chrysler Building—can put beachgoers at risk, contaminate our food supply, and threaten our tourism industry which relies on open beaches, especially during this peak of the summer season,” said Smith.

            Smith noted that the crisis required federal safety officials to shut down the Vineyard Wind project indefinitely, adding another casualty to the growing list of offshore wind failures that have been piling up over recent months.

            “Despite many offshore wind failures like this one and numerous studies, Governor Murphy and the Biden Administration continue to turn a blind eye to the serious hazards inherent to these projects that endanger our marine environment, wildlife, radar navigation, national security, and tourism,” Smith continued.

            Smith, who has consistently raised the slew of problems with the offshore wind projects that Governor Murphy is planning for New Jersey, has led efforts in Congress to expose the many harmful effects of offshore wind industrialization.

            At a congressional hearing last year, Smith pressed BOEM’s Director Liz Klein with several studies that called into question the safety and survivability of offshore wind turbines and asked whether they could sustain winds from a Category 2 or 3 hurricane. In response, Klein said “I am happy to have our folks get back to you”—but Smith has yet to receive an answer.

            Additionally, Smith secured an independent investigation by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) into the impacts that the wind turbines will have on the environment, fishing industry, military operations, navigational safety and more. The audit by the congressional watchdog remains ongoing.

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