Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) today slammed a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) to collaborate on offshore wind development, saying the haphazard move “heightens serious concerns over whether projects that have already been approved were thoroughly and properly vetted by the U.S. military for adverse impacts on national security and military readiness.”

            “It is extremely disconcerting that BOEM is only now deciding to define roles and duties with the Defense Department for offshore wind leasing and project review after 10 projects have already been fully approved by the Biden-Harris Administration with more lined up,” said Smith.

            “BOEM’s own analysis for the Atlantic Shores South project acknowledges that the offshore wind turbines would specifically interfere with federal and military radar systems, even mentioning  Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst by name,” said Smith. “And yet shockingly, BOEM has already issued full federal approval for construction to move forward—even before reaching this new agreement to work with the Defense Department.”

            According to BOEM, the memorandum of understanding includes calls for BOEM and DOD to:

            · “Collaborate as early as possible in the offshore wind leasing process”;

            · “Regularly communicate and exchange information at the staff and leadership levels”; and

            · “Determine what areas should be deferred from leasing to enable the performance of DOD activities.”

            “Anyone who has been paying close attention to the shoddy and reckless approval process for these offshore wind projects will not be fooled by this after-the-fact proposal—which is far too little and far too late,” said Smith.

            “For years, we have been pointing out the lack of serious scrutiny and proper vetting for these projects—especially and including the likely dire impacts on national security and military readiness—but the Biden-Harris Administration has ignored our concerns,” Smith said.

            “In fact, the implementation of this agreement so late in the process begs the question of what national security threats have been downplayed or neglected by BOEM over the past few years during its reckless, fast-track approval process,” said Smith.

            In Congress, Smith has been leading efforts to raise the alarm over the serious threats that rapid offshore wind industrialization poses to U.S. national security in addition to other wide-ranging adverse impacts.

            Last year, Smith introduced legislation—which was passed by the House of Representatives in July 2023—that would require presidential certification that offshore wind projects would not “weaken, degrade, interfere with, or nullify the capability of radar relied upon by the Federal Aviation Administration or the Armed Forces.”

            Smith’s legislative effort came shortly after BOEM Director Liz Klein failed to offer specific details when pressed by Smith at a congressional hearing on whether offshore wind projects would make military vessel navigation less safe. Their exchange occurred just one week after Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon had deemed several areas off the East Coast as “highly problematic” for offshore wind development due to proximity to military operations.

###