Saving Seafood

NEW JERSEY: N.J. fisheries reeled in $7M in COVID money that may need to be paid back, watchdog says

June 20, 2023 — In the rush to get COVID aid out as fast as possible, about half of the money paid to New Jersey fisheries from CARES Act funding may have been improper and should be recovered, a state watchdog group said Tuesday.

The funds, about $7 million, may have been wrongly paid out by the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), which administered the program, according to the Office of the State Comptroller (OSC).

The agency said its reviews, and the reviews of an independent integrity monitor, found payments to 37 marine fisheries did not appear to meet program guidelines, OSC in a letter to DEP.

Read the full article at NJ.com

Critics sue to challenge New Jersey Ørsted Ocean Wind 1 project

June 20, 2023 — Three groups in coastal New Jersey communities filed a new lawsuit against state environmental regulators and offshore wind developer Ørsted seeking to overturn state approvals for the Ocean Wind 1 project.

Community organizers in Ocean City, Brigantine and Long Beach Island, N.J., filed the action in New Jersey state appeals court, they said in an announcement June 16.  

Ørsted’s planned layout of 98 wind turbines, each about 900 feet tall within nine to 15 miles of the beach,  “will be fully visible from New Jersey’s beaches and will crush and destroy the seabed, each tower weighing up to five million pounds,” according to the groups Save LBI, Defend Brigantine Beach and Protect Our Coast NJ.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

NEW JERSEY: NJ offshore wind industry impacts to be scrutinized by feds: Rep. Chris Smith

June 16, 2023 — The federal Government Accountability Office, a Congressional watchdog, agreed this week to investigate impacts from New Jersey’s offshore wind farm industry, according to New Jersey Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ).

In particular, the agency will look at the industry’s impacts on the environment, commercial fishing industry, military operations and marine vessel safety, Smith said.

Smith called for the agency to investigate the industry earlier this year while raising concerns about a rash of whale deaths off New Jersey’s coast. So far, no wind turbine construction has started, but offshore wind companies have mapped the ocean floor and tested soils in their lease areas.

Read the full article at app.

Congressional watchdog agency to probe offshore wind impacts

June 16, 2023 — The independent watchdog agency of Congress agreed Thursday to look into the impacts that offshore wind development could have on the environment, fishing industry and other areas.

In a letter to U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), the U.S. Government Accountability Office said it would “review matters relating to the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development” in the northern Atlantic area between Maine and New Jersey. It said the review would include impacts on “infrastructure and vessel traffic.”

It fulfilled a major demand of citizen groups and elected officials opposed to offshore wind energy.

They cite the deaths of 50 whales off the U.S. East Coast since December, although three federal scientific agencies say there is no evidence linking offshore wind preparations to the whale deaths.

Further details of the inquiry are not available, said Chuck Young, a spokesman for the GAO, a nonpartisan research agency for Congress on government operations.

Read the full article at the Associated Press

NEW JERSEY: Whale Deaths Aside, Here’s Why New Jersey’s Offshore Wind Farm Is Still Controverial

June 16, 2023 — While New Jersey politicians fight over whether or not sonar mapping of the ocean floor off the coast of New Jersey is impacting marine mammals, the ongoing project remains controversial even without taking that matter into consideration.

As the world strives to transition to clean and sustainable energy sources, offshore wind energy has emerged as a promising solution. With its vast coastline and proximity to major population centers, New Jersey has become a focal point for the development of offshore wind projects.

However, like any ambitious undertaking, the journey towards harnessing this renewable resource has been accompanied by controversy and challenges. In this blog post, we will explore the offshore wind energy controversy in New Jersey, examining the key stakeholders, concerns raised, and the potential benefits it holds for the state.

Offshore wind energy has gained significant traction as a viable renewable energy source due to several advantages, according to supporters.

Read the full article at Shore News Network

Feds Commit $82 Million to Protect North Atlantic Right Whale

June 14, 2023 — Six months after an unprecedented number of humpback whale deaths occurred along the New Jersey coast, the federal government announced billions in funding for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that includes an $82 million commitment to the conservation and protection of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.

The funds are part of the total $3.3 billion earmarked for NOAA under the Inflation Reduction Act to address climate change.

“We will provide direct support for the application of newer technologies, such as passive acoustic monitoring. We will invest in the development and, ultimately, implementation of new technologies to enable vessels to detect and avoid right whales and other large whales,” according to NOAA’s webpage on how it will prioritize the federal dollars. “This will reduce one of the primary threats to this species. We will continue developing and evaluating new technologies, such as satellite observations, to transform North Atlantic right whale monitoring and to improve understanding of the whales’ distribution and habitat use.”

Read the full article at The Sand Paper

NEW JERSEY: Offshore wind encounters turbulence over NJ

June 8, 2023 — The offshore wind industry’s troubles continue to pile up — not only in New Jersey but in neighboring states along the Eastern Seaboard.

On Wednesday, New Jersey Board of Public Utilities President Joseph Fiordaliso, perhaps one of the sector’s biggest advocates, let loose with an uncharacteristic rant at a developer in the emerging industry. Although he did not name the company, it was seen as a reference to Ørsted, which owns and is developing New Jersey’s initial offshore wind project.

Fiordaliso expressed frustration over repeated delays in moving forward with the project. “Your delays are intolerable,’’ he said. As was his custom, he had an offshore wind logo pinned on his suit.

“We cannot afford any more delays,’’ Fiordaliso said, adding there are no delays in the pace of climate change. “Some of the things that are being delayed are indefensible.’’

The agency, which is overseeing the state’s offshore wind efforts, also deferred action on a related issue that Brian Lipman, director of the Division of Rate Counsel, urged the regulators to delay. In a letter to the agency, Lipman said his office had no opportunity to assess the potential impact of a proposal to make changes in how the state connects electricity generated by the wind farms to the power grid.

Read the full article at New Jersey Spotlight News

NEW JERSEY: Wind Farm Protesters March in Ocean City

May 31, 2023 — Kathleen Harper said she had never been part of an organized protest before. But she felt compelled to join with other protesters Saturday in Ocean City in opposition to a proposed offshore wind farm project that critics believe would be nothing less than an environmental “disaster.”

Harper, who lives in Dennis Township, carried a sign that declared, “Stop the Wind Turbines. Save the Whales. Protect Our Oceans.” She also placed a toy shark on top of her head as another symbol of her concerns for the marine life.

“I’m worried about the loss of our whales and the destruction of our ocean floor,” she said.

Harper reflects a growing movement that has brought together grass-roots protesters like herself with political leaders representing the coastal communities at the Jersey Shore to oppose plans for the Ocean Wind 1 project that would stretch from Atlantic City to Stone Harbor, 15 miles offshore.

Amid applause and cheers from Harper and other protesters, speaker after speaker denounced the wind farm during a rally Saturday morning that began in a small park across from City Hall and continued with a march across the Route 52 causeway bridge connecting Ocean City and Somers Point.

Read the full article at OCNJDaily

NEW JERSEY: Blue state county votes unanimously against offshore wind development

May 31, 2023 — A county in New Jersey voted unanimously to oppose an offshore wind farm proposed for its coastline, citing the project’s negative impacts on the environment, tourism industry and beach vistas.

In a 4-0 vote this week, the Cape May County, New Jersey, Board of Commissioners passed a resolution green-lighting reasonable use of all the county’s resources to oppose the wind projects developed by Danish multinational energy company Orsted. The county is also considering legal options and appealed a state public utility permit it says would transfer “real property interests” from residents to Orsted.

“At first, the County of Cape May was interested in trying to work with Orsted to find a way forward, perhaps with some modifications to the project to reduce visual, environmental and economic impacts,” Cape May County Board of Commissioners Director Len Desiderio said in a statement.

Read the full article at Fox News

Feds move wind power proposals forward

May 23, 2023 — Two major wind power projects planned off the New Jersey coast have taken big steps forward with the completion of an environmental impact study for Ocean Wind 1 and the opening of the public comment portion of a draft environmental analysis for Atlantic Shores.

In announcing each development, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management described each as supporting the Biden-Harris administration’s offshore energy goals. President Joe Biden has presented offshore wind as a key part of plans to reduce the impact of climate change and build the nation’s renewable power infrastructure.

Weighing in at 570 pages, not counting more than a dozen appendices, the environmental impact statement for Ocean Wind 1 supports the construction of 98 turbines starting 15 miles off the coast and describes most potential impacts of the project as minor or negligible.

 Read the full article at The Press of Atlantic City