July 14, 2023 — The municipalities of Long Beach Island are voicing their opposition of offshore wind development and are preparing to take legal action if need be, according to a letter filed with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP).
In a joint statement with law firm Pashman Stein Walder Hayden, which filed the letter on behalf of all of LBI’s municipalities regarding the proposed Atlantic Shores application calling for a federal consistency certification that the offshore wind project is consistent with New Jersey’s coastal policies.
Frank Huttle, representing the municipalities along with Pashman Stein Chair and Managing Partner Michael S. Stein, said that the project does not comply with NJDEP’s coastal zone management regulations. The applicant should instead “seek approval of a project in a designated lease area further offshore that would have far fewer impacts on the state’s coastal resources and economy,” Huttle said.