Feds Approve Wind Farm Project Off Coast Of Ocean City
OCEAN CITY, NJ — The federal government has officially approved Ocean Wind 1, allowing for the construction and operation of the country’s third commercial-scale, offshore wind project.
Ocean Wind 1, a project by Danish company Ørsted, will be constructed off the shore of Ocean City. The up to 98 turbine wind farm will have an estimated capacity of 1,100 megawatts of clean energy, capable of powering over 380,000 homes, and is expected to create more than 3,000 jobs through development and a three-year construction cycle, according to a news release from the Bureau of Ocean Management (BOEM).
BOEM’s approval follows the completion of the Environmental Impact Statement, which analyzed the impact the turbines would have on the waters and marine life in a 2,000+ page study.
“Ocean Wind 1 represents another significant step forward for the offshore wind industry in the United States,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “The project’s approval demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to developing clean energy and fighting climate change and is a testament to the state of New Jersey’s leadership in supporting sustainable sources of energy and economic development for coastal communities.”
The journey to the approval has been a particularly fraught one, with local residents and government officials fighting Ocean Wind 1 at every turn.
Opponents have cited the lack of home rule as a major issue with the project, as the government bypassed Ocean City officials in order to make approvals for the project’s construction, effectively shutting them out of the process. Many have also worried about the wind farm’s impact on local marine life, though experts have found no evidence for this, and how it could damage tourism.
Ocean Wind 1 recently was granted a road opening permit after suing Ocean City, claiming that local officials were de facto trying to keep the project from being constructed by doing so.
Anti-wind groups Save LBI, Protect Our Coast NJ and Defend Brigantine Beach recently filed suit challenging the NJDEP approval of the Ocean Wind 1 project, according to a news release from the groups.
“This is the first of a series of lawsuits that will challenge the federal and state government’s targeting of New Jersey’s coast with a vast industrial project that will permanently damage the ocean environment and our shore communities,” said Keith Moore, head of government affairs for Defend Brigantine Beach.
Monopiles for the project are being constructed at EEW American Offshore Structures’ facility at the Port of Paulsboro, with onshore construction set to begin in fall 2023 and offshore turbine installation set for 2024, according to an Ørsted news release.
“The announcement of Ocean Wind 1’s Record of Decision today represents a pivotal inflection point not just for Ørsted, but for New Jersey’s nation-leading offshore wind industry as a whole,” said Gov. Phil Murphy. “By preparing to begin onshore construction this fall, Ocean Wind 1 will help bring New Jersey one crucial step closer to achieving a 100% clean energy economy by 2035 and 11,000 MW of offshore wind power by 2040.”
Source: Patch.com