The NJ Ocean Wind Project

 

New Jersey is especially vulnerable to climate change effects such as frequent flooding of residential areas because of its long, flat coastline and higher temperatures because of its intensely urban nature. Both of those conditions have occurred in the past weeks.

One thing that can help the state transition from fossil fuels that contribute to climate change, and protect the state, especially coastal areas, from the impact of extreme weather events is wind power. Not only will offshore wind help drive our goal to reach 100% renewable energy, but it will create thousands of green jobs.

The NJ Sierra Club reports that New Jersey is moving forward in its first utility-scale offshore wind farm. Ocean Wind, a project off the South Jersey shore, will power more than 500,000 homes, will create over 4,000 jobs over the project’s 25-year lifespan and generate $1.2 billion in economic growth.

Of course, not everyone loves wind farms. You can submit your comments pro or con about the project at regulations.gov/commenton/BOEM-2022-0021-0001

I mentioned this to a friend who commented "Who wants to look at those things when you're on the beach?" I had to tell him that offshore wind farms are located far enough from the coastline - at least 9 miles out and usually 15-20 miles out - that, if they are visible at all, the impact to the view will be minimal. The lights they’ll use at night will be visible to airplanes and boats but not to people on shore.  

One thing we want is for offshore wind farms to be installed in a way that is minimally impactful. Environmental impact statements are a crucial component.

The Bureau of Energy Management (BOEM) is holding virtual public hearings on the Ocean Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) today, Wednesday July 20th and Tuesday, July 26th. Attendees can ask questions and provide oral testimony. Registration information can be found on the Ocean Wind 1 DEIS Virtual Public Hearings page on BOEM’s website, boem.gov.

Sierra NJ provides these facts about offshore to help you understand the issue and comment.

• Offshore wind has the capacity to produce 2 times the amount of electricity the US consumed in 2019, and 90% of 2050 projections if we electrified our buildings, transportation system and industry.
• It is estimated that the offshore wind industry in the US will create 83,000 jobs and deliver $25 billion in annual economic input by 2030.
• Climate change is the greatest existing threat to wildlife: 1 million animal and plant species are threatened with extinction due to a rapidly changing environment.
• Switching from fossil fuels to wind and solar can reduce risks of asthma, heart disease, and other conditions that threaten lives and cause billions of dollars in healthcare costs. Nearly 1 in 4 children in Newark suffer from asthma, a preventable result of burning fossil fuels.
• Offshore wind will reduce greenhouse gasses and carbon emissions that worsen the impact of climate change. Tropical Storm Ida showed how devastating extreme weather events are for public health in New Jersey, with the number of victims who died during flooding now at 30.
• Fossil fuel production and combustion creates climate change that can directly affect human health, releasing pollutants that lead to early death, heart attacks, respiratory disorders, stroke, and exacerbation of asthma. 
• Overwhelmingly, to serve our power needs, power plants are located in communities of color – unfair ‘sacrifice zones’ that are the direct result of environmental racism and must be redressed. 
• States like New Jersey and Delaware have some of the worst air quality issues in the country. According to the American Lung Association, both states received poor air quality grades in 2019 and 2020, largely due to the factories, refineries and other industrial facilities in both states which release millions of pounds of chemicals into the air.  
• With offshore wind farms, Delaware, New Jersey, and other Mid-Atlantic states will no longer need to rely on fossil fuels for their power. Instead, they will transition to clean and renewable wind energy, drastically reducing state carbon emissions and cleaning the air in communities most affected by pollution.