By Kieran Sullivan

 — On Monday, Aug. 19 Stop The High-Risk Power Cables, a citizen group concerned about plans to run what they call “high risk” power cables through Sea Girt, Manasquan and Wall Township, held a community meeting before a large, online Zoom audience.

After gaining traction in the local community since the group’s formation, the group held the meeting before a virtual audience of over 1,000 attendees about a proposed turbine plan off the East Coast. The meeting was attended by U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, Assemblyman Paul Kanitra and six other panel members, including an environmentalist, local mayors and citizen advocates who shared their opinions and called for project transparency.

“Our goal was to end the secrecy and shed a light on what is planned for our communities. We believe that residents and businesses have a right to understand the risks and rewards of a major infrastructure project that runs through our neighborhoods and will significantly impact our quality of life,” said Kimberly Paterson, one of the organizers of the meeting.

She continued, “The meeting was beyond our wildest expectations with more than 1,000 participants and people actually hosting Zoom watch parties. The level of interest shown during prime vacation weeks of summer tells you how passionate people are about stopping this project. Our efforts are just beginning.”

Stop The High-Risk Power Cables describes itself as a bipartisan, grassroots, self-funded group of residents who oppose the underground cable that would be part of the Atlantic Shores Offshore Winds South Project.

Assemblyman Kanitra said his office invited the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU), which is the government agency overseeing offshore wind development. However, according to Kanitra, the BPU declined to attend.

While the meeting featured a panel of politicians, environmentalists and advocates who oppose the proposed turbine projects, several other environmental coalitions have been at the forefront supporting Gov. Murphy’s push for renewable energy, including the National Wildlife Federation, New Jersey Sustainable Business Council and the New Jersey Audubon Society, to name a few. 

In a May 28 BPU press release, Gov. Murphy said, “Offshore wind development remains a once-in-a-generation opportunity that will result in significant economic and environmental benefits throughout the Garden State. At this pivotal inflection point for the industry both in New Jersey and across the nation, it’s critical that we remain committed to delivering on the promise of thousands of family-sustaining, union jobs and cleaner air for generations to come.”

The proposed plan by Atlantic Shores LLC would result in the construction of hundreds of wind turbines off the coast of Atlantic City. The project would include a 40-mile-long cable export corridor carrying a minimum of 5,720 megawatts that would make landfall at the New Jersey National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt, according to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).

After making landfall at the federal property, the proposed power cables would travel under residential streets in Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall Township and ultimately end at the Larrabee Substation in Howell Township, according to the BPU.

Group formed to oppose power cable

According to organizers Lynette Viviani and Paterson, Stop the High-Risk Power Cables organized the meeting as an effort to inform their neighbors about what is proposed to go on in their front yards.

“We can’t find an example anywhere in the world where this much power is landing on a beach and running within 15 to 20 yards of homes, schools and recreation areas,” said Paterson.

After publicizing the meeting for just over two weeks, the group found the response slightly more than they anticipated. The meeting was originally scheduled to be held at the Manasquan Community Senior Center; however, after registration numbers continued to climb, the group was forced to relocate the meeting. Viviani and Paterson settled on the Spring Lake Manor in Spring Lake Heights, until yet again they were forced to relocate due to the exceeding number of attendees. Ultimately, the group decided to host a panel in person at the Community Senior Center and stream the meeting over Zoom for the more than 1,000 registered attendees. 

The meeting was moderated by Sea Girt resident Fred Marziano, who provided a brief introduction for all eight members of the panel before they spoke to the audience about the proposed turbine plan.

To open the night, Marziano stated “We demand a halt to this project until the risks are objectively evaluated and health, well-being and safety can be assured.”

First panel speaker of the evening, Mayor Mike Mangan said, “Manasquan stands staunchly opposed to the issue overall, in particular with regards to the transmission. We are urging the BPU to host a public education meeting and to provide a clear method of feedback so that those members of the public could have their questions answered and their opinions heard.”

U.S. REP. CHRIS SMITH

U.S. Rep. Smith represents the 4th Congressional District, which includes Wall Township, Sea Girt, Manasquan and Howell Township. 

Rep. Smith said, “Unfortunately, many of the people have closed their eyes and blocked their ears from hearing the very, very inconvenient truth that this whole push for ocean wind has been very ill thought out.”

Rep. Smith has opposed the proposed offshore wind projects in the House of Representatives. He said he has led the effort for offshore wind project transparency on the federal level; however has found trouble with several amendments regarding radar implications that were blocked in the Senate.

“So far, I have passed three policy amendments, after vigorous debates on the House floor. One of them is for the GAO report… to say look, don’t play games. We want to know exact answers to the best of your ability to these pertinent questions about the proposed projects.” 

Rep. Smith said he spearheaded an effort that resulted in an independent investigation from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the proposed wind turbine projects and their impact on the environment, commercial and recreational fishing, tourism, national security and radar navigation, as well as the impact hurricanes and severe weather patterns will have on the turbines. According to Rep. Smith, the investigation is ongoing and is expected to be completed this fall. 

“I have never seen anything in 44 years in Congress so ill thought out, and then the idea that nobody wants to answer the questions. Where is the governor? He should be holding forums, meeting with all the mayors and the elected people and above all meeting with the people, who pay the taxes. We are a country that thrives on consent of the governed. Is that happening here? Not at all, and I think that’s a catastrophe and I think it’s appalling.”

Rep. Smith’s office displayed a chunk of debris from Vineyard Wind’s broken turbine that washed up on the beaches of Nantucket, Massachusetts, after a blade failure on July 13. The recent blade failure that came from a single turbine was repeatedly mentioned by panel speakers, resulting in the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement issuing a suspension order halting Vineyard Winds power production operations or new construction activity.

Rep. Smith stated, “I’m not going to quit until we win this and you’re not going to quit… We fight with facts. We do not engage in hyperbole. We want real answers and again, I’m sick and tired of being shown the door and being told you need not apply for those answers.”

SEA GIRT MAYOR DON FETZER

Also on the panel was Sea Girt Mayor Don Fetzer, who described a lack of communication between the BPU and the borough he represents.

According to Fetzer, the BPU held discussions with National Guard Training Center officials; however, the borough was not involved or invited to participate in that conversation.

In addition, Mayor Fetzer discussed his views on the proposed power cables that would be constructed under the streets of Sea Girt. Mayor Fetzer stated the battle against the industrialization of the borough started long before that. 

“Sea Girt has been following these events for the last 15 years. It’s hard to believe, but the Army Camp has always been in play…first, they were going to sell it for real estate, then they were going to build their own 400-foot turbine. There was a little bit of a lull, and now here we are, being a landing point for this massive cable,” he said.

Mayor Fetzer, who has decades of experience as a civil and environmental engineer, made it clear that Sea Girt opposes the power cables that would be constructed 15 to 20 feet from houses, schools and a day care center in Sea Girt. Additionally, among other project factors Mayor Fetzer described 40% tax credits provided to project purveyors, a lack of fair and open method of procurement by state and federal officials and argued that the proposed project doesn’t satisfy the three key facts of Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Water Act for project blessings; cost effectiveness, environmentally sound, and implementation and maintenance plan.

ASSEMBLYMAN PAUL KANITRA 

When Assemblyman Paul Kanitra of District 10 arrived at the podium, he first addressed the over 1,000 people who watched the educational meeting remotely, giving kudos to the citizens he said showed up and cared to learn about the proposed wind turbine projects. Additionally, he spoke to others he said may have been watching the meeting, including staff from the Board of Public Utilities (BPU), Department of Environmental Protection and the Governor’s Office.

Kanitra said, “I want to mention to you all that we are going to stop this no matter what it takes.”

He then stated “money always drives an issue. This whole project stinks because of money, and you need to follow the money. The reason that it’s getting fast tracked, just go look at the campaign donations. Look at who the governors got campaign donations from, look at who in the majority that has been supporting this all along who they have gotten campaign donations from.”

Kanitra recalled his time as mayor of Point Pleasant Beach and how initiatives and actions against turbine projects began when whales began washing up on beaches across the East Coast. 

Kanitra said, “What you see with the whale is so directly related to what’s happening to us humans. The burden shouldn’t be on us to prove that there are no detrimental effects to something. The whales shouldn’t have to prove that they are running into boats because their sonar is getting messed up and what you see from the government is just dismissal without any kind of facts whatsoever. They just say ‘oh no that’s absurd’ when we’ve seen a massive uptick in what’s happening with the whales in the grounds and the beaching and the boat strikes.”

ENVIRONMENTALIST CINDY ZIPF 

Cindy Zipf, founder and executive director of Clean Ocean Action (COA) provided her analysis of the proposed project and the impact it would have on the marine ecosystems on the East Coast. 

While Zipf’s organization doesn’t oppose offshore wind. However, of the proposed projects she stated “the scope, scale and magnitude is beyond reckless.” 

Since founding COA in 1984, Zipf has spent the last 40 years protecting the coast of New York and New Jersey. She warned that the “alarm bell should be going off in everyone’s mind” with the proposed industrialization of the East Coast. 

“The scale scope of what we are doing to the environment, both offshore and onshore, is unbelievable… What few studies that have been done are insufficient and they don’t even begin to understand the consequences to the marine ecosystem,” Zipf stated. 

Zipf stated that both state and federal agencies are using strategies to push offshore wind development, including Fast 41 a program that expedites federal permitting.

“All of these processes that should be carefully reviewed are being streamlined. In short, there’s a general lack of good governance in all stages of approval. It’s clear that ocean wind is getting a pass and that’s unacceptable.”

Additionally, Zipf highlighted COA’s full-time policy attorney on staff and the trouble the nonprofit runs into attempting to follow project descriptions, further stating “You can be a full time at Clean Ocean Action and still have a heck of a time working your way through the system and the public really doesn’t stand a chance.”

CITIZEN ADVOCATES

Three citizen advocates representing separate groups concerned over the proposed projects sat on the panel and shared insight into their findings and experiences.

Mike Dean, representing Save the East Coast, a nonprofit ocean environmental advocacy group, described the scope of the projects currently slated to line the East Coast from New England down to North Carolina.

Dean provided numbers into the coastal industrialization that he referred to as the “the largest attempt at transforming our coastal ecosystem ever.” 

While Dean spoke, the presentation displayed an aerial graphic of the East Coast, lined with proposed wind turbine projects at various permitting, surveying and construction phases that would result in the industrialization of the coast.

Dean stated, “There are 27 active lease areas right now that we are monitoring. There’s upwards of 37 projects that are active from Southern New England down to North Carolina.”

He grouped the coastal waters into three water sections; Southern New England, New York and New Jersey and the remaining area from south of Cape May to North Carolina. 

He provided insight into the status of the proposed projects and the five major stages that are required to complete a project, which vary in different circumstances. The stages include lease assignments, construction and operation plans, federal environmental permitting process, obtaining a power contract and lastly the construction of the project.

“We are getting close, status wise here in New Jersey. The BPU and DEP have granted permits to Atlantic Shores South and federal agencies have as well, so that project is fully permitted and is the furthest one along,” Dean stated.

After Dean provided insight into the many proposed projects off the East Coast, Keith Moore who represented Defend Our Beaches New Jersey, said he has had success in the past fighting wind turbines and provided insight in his experiences.

Previously, Moore fought against Orsted in 2022 in its proposed offshore wind off the coast of Brigantine Beach. He serves as the director of government affairs and external relations at Defend Our Beaches New Jersey. According to Moore, his organization has appealed to Gov. Murphy, testified in Trenton at the state Senate and Assembly and has held peaceful protests and continues to work opposing offshore wind.

“I’ve been asked to talk about how we won the battle against offshore wind. I’d like to think we won the battle against Orsted… but now it’s time to win the war.”

Moore provided a three-prong approach to “winning the war” against offshore wind. The first prong mentioned by Moore is that elected officials in local municipalities and coastal counties work collectively to oppose offshore wind through resolutions and citizen involvement. Next, Moore stated to “stop the bailout” by pursuing litigation against corporations attempting to industrialize the coast. The final prong Moore referred to was challenging state and federal officials on the violations of environmental laws that protect the ocean. 

Glenn Hughes, a Sea Girt resident and a founding member of Stop The High-Risk Cables, spoke about what he said was the magnitude and potential dangers of power cables that are proposed to travel under residential streets in Sea Girt, Manasquan and Wall Township.

According to Hughes, of the two proposed routes, over 200 residential homes would lie within 10 to 15 yards to where the power line will go, and the power line will travel adjacent to three schools, a day care center, athletic fields and playgrounds.

He stated the proposed power that would travel through Sea Girt and out to Howell would at a minimum carry 5,720 megawatts of power, which Hughes compared to the disaster at Three Mile Island, which carried 800 megawatts of power. 

Paterson concluded the meeting by calling upon residents to continue to fight against the proposed offshore wind plan and to not lose faith in the process.

“Can we stop this? The answer is yes we can. My question of you is, are you going to stop it? Because we can’t do it alone, we need lots of people engaged in this process… The only way they can get away with what they are doing is if we sit back and let them.” stated Paterson.

The meeting in its entirety could be found on YouTube, youtube.com/live/8qWGHwJnXRI?si=oBExKLxM-dGGYuxp.

This is an excerpt of the print article [published online on page one of the Aug. 22, 2024 edition]. For more on this story, read The Coast Star—on newsstands Thursday or online in our e-Edition.