By James FitzPatrick
Contributing Writer
The Atlantic County Board of Commissioners has joined the chorus of New Jersey coastal officials calling for a pause in offshore wind development until experts can figure out what’s behind the recent spike in whale deaths in New Jersey and New York.
On Feb. 21, the commissioners passed a resolution calling for a 90-day wind development moratorium until answers can be found.
The resolution expresses support for state Sen. Vince Polistina and U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew. The senator wants Gov. Phil Murphy to implement a 30-day pause, whereas Van Drew wants to end all offshore wind development.
Van Drew plans to hold a hearing in the area March 16, location and time to be announced. He is also planning to introduce related federal legislation.
Attention has turned to Orsted and Atlantic Shores, two companies which are doing drilling and sonar surveys in preparation for wind projects. Once complete, the companies will add approximately 290 wind turbines combined as close as 9 miles off the coast.
The danger to whales and other marine mammals is the disruptive sounds produced by these activities, which can cause them to radically change their behavior to avoid them.
The hope is that the cause of the deaths can be determined soon.
“In those 30 days we could get necropsies back and figure out between both of these companies where they were doing the work, when they were doing the work,” Polistina told the Board of Commissioners.
The resolution to support Polistina’s moratorium, which was sponsored by commissioners Rich Dase and Frank Balles, passed by a vote of 7-2 with commissioners Caren Fitzpatrick and Ernest Coursey voting against. Dase and Balles said they brought it forward to give voice to their constituents’ concerns.
Residents have raised offshore wind questions on numerous fronts including potential harm to birds, fisheries, bats, human health, tourism and property values.
In 90 minutes of comments from a packed house of residents at the Stillwater Building in Northfield, almost all were in support of the moratorium and against the project.
They raised doubts if wind turbines were better for the environment given what it takes to produce, maintain, and dispose of them.
Many said they feel disenfranchised by the frequent use of executive orders to move the wind projects forward and wonder if environmental protection groups have been corrupted by the numerous financial donations made to them by the big wind companies.
“I’m dealing with what’s been asked of me and trying to get some answers,” Dase said.
Balles said that although about a dozen strandings have been reported between New York and New Jersey, we don’t know how big the problem is.
“Most whales when they die, they’re out in the ocean and they sink to the bottom of the ocean,” Balles said. “So we’re not seeing all the whales that actually die.”
Commissioner Caren Fitzpatrick said the economic benefits of offshore wind argue against a moratorium.
Fitzpatrick said the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration NOAA verified that the deaths are not associated with offshore wind; rather they’ve been attributed to ship strikes and redistribution of food sources due climate change, which offshore wind will help fight.
“This is a once-in- a-generation opportunity for Atlantic County and Southern New Jersey,” she said, noting that $2.9 million has been awarded to Atlantic Cape Community College, and $1.5 million to the Atlantic County Institute of Technology for offshore wind related training.
“We need a new industry to bring people to Atlantic County and the region to share the burden of running the county,” she said, noting that wind aligns well with developing the Atlantic City International Airport.
Commissioner Ernest Coursey called the resolution a pointless exercise because the county has no say in the matter.
“The truth of the matter is it’s like we’re putting up a resolution to make the public feel good knowing damn well the resolution means absolutely nothing because we have no say so,” Coursey said.
Commissioner James Bertino said the wind farm developers should welcome the moratorium as an opportunity to clear the air.
“They actually should encourage it so they get the questions answered for the public so they have an answer instead of delaying saying nothing’s impacting it,” Bertino said.
Commissioner Amy Gatto suggested that a timeframe be placed on the resolution. Balles later obliged by moving that the 90-day period be added to the language.
Vice Chairman Andrew Parker said backing a moratorium does not equate to offshore wind opposition.
“I don’t think that we’re saying that we’re against the project,” Parker said. “I think what everyone is saying is that we should take the time to make sure what we’re doing is appropriate.”
He also opposed adding a time limit.
Vince Sera, mayor of Brigantine Beach, noted how much public concerns have grown since he first got involved two years ago. Now there is a letter started in Brigantine and signed by mayors from 30 towns in the state, calling for a pause.
“When I started this process I was all by myself,” Sera said. “Now I’m not just speaking on behalf of Brigantine, I’m speaking on behalf of 30 mayors and 360,000 people in the state of New Jersey. People want answers. They want to know what’s going on.
“Once these are built and once they go forward, it’s too late.”
Copyeditor and Contributing Writer James FitzPatrick has been a community journalist in Atlantic and Cape May counties for more than 30 years, including 20 years as editor of The Current Newspapers. He lives in Hammonton.
