Posted on October 2, 2024
New Jersey’s first planned offshore wind project took a major step forward Oct. 1.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced approval of the Atlantic Shores South plan to construct and operate two wind energy facilities Tuesday. The project, compromised of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind 1 and 2, will stand between Atlantic City and Long Beach Island.
As NJBIZ reported in July, the Department of Interior (DOI) already cleared the project. This latest BOEM action marks the final necessary approval.
Key Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind details include:
- Subsequent to the Record of Decision, the original lease was divided into two separate leases, both approximately 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey at their closest points.
- The approved construction and operations plan includes up to 197 total locations for wind turbine generators, offshore substations and a meteorological tower; subsea transmission cables will potentially make landfall in Atlantic City and Sea Girt.
As NJBIZ reported on and beyond, the issue is a hot-button one with firm positions on both sides. Opponents of offshore wind have pointed to potential disruptions to marine life, tourism, sightlines, quality-of-life and more – launching advocacy campaigns and filing a slew of legislation to fight the development of the offshore wind farms along the coast.
‘Responsible’ offshore wind
BOEM noted its approval process incorporated important feedback from Tribes, government agencies, ocean users and other interested parties. As a result, the agency says it developed required measures to avoid, minimize, or mitigate any potential impacts from the project on marine life and other important ocean uses, such as fishing.
“The Biden-Harris administration is dedicated to advancing responsible offshore wind energy projects like Atlantic Shores South Wind, which will create good-paying jobs and drive economic growth, while combatting the climate crisis and making our communities more resilient,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “I am proud to announce BOEM’s final approval of Atlantic Shores South Offshore Wind Projects 1 and 2, which have the potential to generate up to 2,800 megawatts of clean, renewable energy—enough to power nearly one million homes.”
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind said Project 1’s COP (Construction and Operations Plan) approval will enable the near-term creation of thousands of in-demand jobs. Additionally, the company said the move will accelerate of billions of dollars in supply chain investments here in the Garden State.
Meanwhile, Atlantic Shores Project 2 would build on this ‘”first-mover success” and drive economic growth across the state over the next decade.
Teeing up construction
“Atlantic Shores is thrilled to receive approval to build our first two projects and deliver sufficient clean power to serve one third of New Jersey households,” said Joris Veldhoven, CEO, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind. “Securing these critical approvals enables New Jersey’s first offshore wind project to start construction next year and represents meaningful progress in New Jersey achieving 100% clean energy by 2035. We are grateful to the Biden-Harris administration, our agency partners at the U.S. Department of the Interior and BOEM, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, and all our federal and state agency partners who helped deliver this moment for Atlantic Shores.”
Given some of the turbulence in the sector – from that aforementioned opposition to rising costs and elevated interest rates as well as supply chain challenges, which recently led to the pause of the Leading Light Wind project, to Ørsted’s cancellation last year of Ocean Wind 1 and 2 – the Oct. 1 announcement from BOEM marks a major milestone for the sector. It’s also big news for the state’s clean energy ambitions under the Murphy administration, which has particularly made big bets on offshore wind.
“Today’s announcement from Atlantic Shores represents meaningful progress toward a clean energy future for New Jersey. Growing New Jersey’s offshore wind capacity has been one of the highest priorities for my Administration,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “Offshore wind will strengthen our state’s economy through supply chain investments and good-paying, union jobs.”
More information on the project is available here.
What they’re saying
“I congratulate Atlantic Shores for reaching yet another milestone on an important project that is on track to become the first offshore wind farm in federal waters off New Jersey’s coast. I believe that offshore wind has the potential to play a key role in transitioning us to a clean energy economy, delivering zero-carbon energy to our state while spurring billions of dollars in economic investment and creating good-paying jobs,” said U.S. Sen. George Helmy, D-N.J. “Bills to bolster the offshore wind industry and increase its benefits to our state were among the first pieces of legislation that I cosponsored in the Senate.”
“Atlantic Shores receiving its Construction and Operations Plan is welcomed news,” said U.S. Rep. Donald Norcross, D-N.J., 1st District. “Not only will this investment help us combat climate change, but it will also generate good paying jobs by offering new workforce training opportunities and utilize local labor unions to get the job done.”
Smith
“Today’s announcement is a critical step in bringing New Jersey’s first offshore wind project online,” said U.S. Mikie Sherrill, D-N.J., 11th District. “Through robust job creation and strong partnerships with our unions and institutions of higher education, Atlantic Shores is solidifying New Jersey’s leadership in the transition to clean energy and the fight against climate change.”
In opposition
“The Biden-Harris Administration has foolishly greenlighted a catastrophe in the making by approving the construction and operations plan for the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind project,” U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-4th District, said in a statement. Smith has strongly opposed offshore wind development off the Jersey coast. “Allowing this project to move forward with construction when other projects have been blatantly unsafe and unviable makes no sense whatsoever.”
