Fabrizio and Quattrocchi Question Status of Research Funded by Gov. In April ‘23 Regarding Potential Harmful Effects on NJ Marine Life.

Clark – In March of 2022 an Associated Press article on the PBS web site disclosed that NJ was to participate in an environmental study regarding offshore wind projects. NJ was to join Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts and New York in the Regional Wildlife Science Entity. An organization which does studies.

In April of this year Gov. Murphy announced that $2mil was being allocated for three new offshore environmental investigatory projects.

“So here we are almost a year and a half later without answers on what effect the wind farms will have on the whales, dolphins, seals, clam beds and other marine life,” commented Patricia Quattrocchi, R-Clark.

Lisa Fabrizio, R-Linden, agreed and said, “this state has a way of getting priorities out of order.”

The running mates agreed that these studies would take time to bear results, but one would think that the research should be done before handing over millions in tax credits to the developers. Seemingly giving them carte blanche to move full speed ahead with the projects creating a blight on the sea scape and possibly endangering marine wildlife.
Currently the death toll of dead whales in the NY, NJ area is up 164% over last year. It is unclear how many dolphins have been impacted by the preliminary work being done for the wind farm as their bodies decompose before reaching the beaches and the counts are probably not accurate.

“Perhaps the dead whales should be viewed as the canaries in the coal mines,” speculated Fabrizio.