May 2, 2023 — New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm has cleared some significant hurdles in building the project planned for 15 miles off the state’s southern coast.
The state Department of Environmental Protection last week issued a series of permits for the Ocean Wind I project, the initial permits issued for construction and operation of the facility, including a “federal consistency determination” in line with policies of the Coastal Management Zone Plan.
The approvals came as a controversy over the state’s push to build an offshore wind industry continues. Dead marine mammals have been washing ashore on beaches in the metropolitan area, a problem some critics blame on the increased activity of offshore wind surveying vessels.
Marine scientists strongly dispute those assertions. And last week, DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette denied any link could be made to the deaths of whales and dolphins and the emerging offshore wind sector.