Governor Murphy betting the farm, wind farms, on the Jersey Shore 

The Sea Girt governing body introduced and approved Resolution R-126-2024 at the June 12th council meeting opposing the instillation of wind turbines and the planned transmission lines that will run from the ocean and through Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall Township and Howell. In response, TAPinto Gold Coast will run a multipart series over the next three weeks. We will move from today’s broad overview to specific components of offshore wind energy’s impact. Our goal is to educate residents in and around these towns and along the Jersey Shore on the potential impact of these wind farms and transmission lines on local families, children’s future, the livelihood of thousands of commercial fisherman, marine life and its ecosystem, and more. TAPinto Gold Coast is reaching out to experts who have spent years assessing the potential and known impacts to share their insights, provide facts, and pulling available research. To view Sea Girt Mayor Fetzer’s prepared remarks Click here.

Immediate Concerns

At the council meeting, it was stated by the governing body as well as a number of organizations that attended the meeting that time is of the essence. Governor Murphy’s administration is said to be making a decision over the next few weeks. Effective action in support of the resolution introduced and passed at the meeting will require coordinated efforts across the towns, organizations, with county, state and federal officials, and the public. The 100 or so residents in attendance expressed deep concern about the wind energy’s impact on the community and our coastal shores. Those concerns were amplified as yet another dead whale was found Thursday on the Spring Lake beach. Long-time Sea Girt resident James Skidmore stated at the meeting “This is about government overreach. The dominion – New York, Virginia, New Jersey – is quite large, and with Institutional firm – Capital Research – persuading shareholders from financing and supporting these companies. That’s how big they think it will affect the communities we live in.”

How did we get here?

Residents are asking how we got here? As TAPinto Gold Coast digs into the research on wind energy, expects say many of the local communities impacted lack the resources, both financial and staffing, to fight back. Neighbors noted things they say are being “pushed on us,” as cell towers across the boardwalk in Belmar and Asbury Park, to other examples such as beach access on a private town beach in Ocean Grove. Other residents told TAPinto Gold Coast that Affordable Housing requirements “have already surpassed reasonable building in towns.”

Locals say they are fighting to retain their communities. Some residents who spoke with TAPinto Gold Coast say they “question whether state and federal governments are working for the people,” questioning transparency.

That last point was made clear at the council meeting and subsequent discussions with local residents. That was also made clear by Congressman Chris Smith who represents congressional District 4, much of which are towns in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. In a recent release, Smith didn’t hold back “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.” Smith alludes to the fact that the Biden administration just published a final environmental impact study for the Atlantic Shores South project – which includes 200 offshore wind turbines with transmission cables making landfall in Sea Girt. “No matter how arrogantly the federal government insists it can “mitigate” the admitted adverse impacts, pounding 200 wind turbines into the ocean floor across 102,000 acres will fundamentally transform our marine environment with devastating effects on wildlife, commercial and recreational fisherman, radar navigation, national security, and tourism,” Smith said. To hear Congressman Smith’s views click here.

Political BHAGs and their Impact

Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs), popular in the 1990’s business community, where leaders placed stakes in the ground to drive their business toward outlandish goals, died as the goals set were unrealistic expectations, wiped out logical strategy setting, led to poor asset and financial resource allocation, and tanked many companies and their leaders. A failed strategy has taken root in politics, with leaders proclaiming they will lead us through great change, while self-promoting these BHAG’s. The latest BHAG sits around Clean energy, which follows another BHAG – Electronic Vehicles or “EV’s”. Not sure anyone would dispute the concept of clean energy. But after President Biden planted his BHAG flag of having 100% of cars sold in the US by 2035, Governor Murphy made a move some see as even more aggressive – to have 35% of all vehicle sales be EV’s by 2026 and followed the President to have 100% of all cars sold in the US to be EV’s.

TAPinto Gold Coast will research wind farms across the country, specifically those having access to offshore wind opportunities i.e. coastal states, the picture from those states is very clear; Caution – unknown ahead. You go first.

Offshore Wind Energy: A Cautionary Tale

In our neighboring State of New York, Governor Hochul vetoed a bill in Oct 2023 that would have expedited a planned wind farm off the coast of Long Island. Said Hochel “It is incumbent on renewable energy developers to cultivate and maintain strong ties to their host communities.” According to NY Assemblyman Ari Brownm at the time, “They were going to put electromagnetic cables in the ground, and unfortunately, Long Island has a high cancer rate. Now we are going to have electromagnetic fields to this degree?”

This offshore wind farm and transmission line stoppage in Long Beach, NY relates directly to the Sea Girt and surrounding communities along the Jersey coast; this was about transmission lines that would run from offshore wind farms through Long Beach NY and continue on to the relevant power grids.

For clarity purposes, that “degree” mentioned by NY Assemblyman Brown was only for 147 offshore wind turbines vs a planned 200 or more turbines of power coming through the transmission pipes into Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall Township, and Howell.

Challenges and Opposition

Two days after Governor Hochul vetoed the Long Beach NY offshore wind farms, she another offshore wind farm project being pursued. It had locals asking why was another project started when another one was vetoed?

Here in New Jersey, Murphy has said New Jersey is going to lead the country in offshore wind and President Biden and his Administration have his back. Murphy faced a setback this spring with a major wind partner, Orstead, who backed out of a deal already signed. Following that, he shortened the bidding process. As Congressman Chris Smith of congressional district four highlighted, “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.” Governor Murphy has set his BHAG as 11,000megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2040, yet his term ends in January 2026.

Conclusion

Regardless of one’s perspective on clean energy or political affiliation, the Jersey Shore is being pushed to change its landscape across a number of areas. Many neighbors say it is not impacting their areas for the better.