In a recent write-up at Politico, investigative journalist Ry Rivard noted how New Jersey’s two top lawmakers now say there are a lot of “unanswered questions” about industrial offshore wind. “The leaders of the New Jersey Senate and Assembly put out a joint statement on August 7 expressing concern about the economic impacts of offshore wind,” Ryvard wrote at Politico.com on August 7.
The offshore wind statement came days after four companies submitted bids to the state Board of Public Utilities (BPU) to build more wind farms off the New Jersey coast using ratepayer dollars. New Jersey state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin and Senate President Nick Scutari — who also became acting governor while Gov. Phil Murphy was vacationing at his Italian villa and following the tragic death of Lieutenant Governor Shiela Oliver on August 1 — said the legislature “has concerns about the BPU’s approach” to offshore wind.
“There are still many unanswered questions about the economic impact these projects will have on ratepayers as well as potential impacts to one of our state’s largest economic drivers, tourism at the shore,” the legislative leaders said. “The BPU should be able to share these impacts with the communities affected and the legislature before moving forward with these new offshore projects.”
According to Ryvard, their respective offices did not immediately respond to a request to clarify the nature of their concerns, which come just weeks after they helped rush through legislation to allow the company behind New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm to build its project. That new law allows wind developer Ørsted to keep federal tax credits that would have otherwise been returned to ratepayers to help defray higher expected energy costs.
Other offshore wind developers other than Ørsted have since expressed interest in receiving more taxpayer money as well, warning that without more money from the state, their projects cannot be built.
