Murphy Signs Bill for Wind Project: Goes Around BPU Process

Governor Murphy has signed S1217 (Sweeney)/ A2485 (Mazzeo). The bill requires BPU consideration and approval of amended application for qualified wind energy project offshore in certain NJ territorial waters. Jeff Tittel released the following statement:

“Even if this was a better bill we would oppose it because it’s directly tied to the $300 million a year nuclear subsidy bill. This project is not the best way to use our resources for offshore wind and was only put forth in the bill to be green cover for the nuclear subsidy. Fisherman’s Energy is a small wind pilot project that’s been kicking around for more than a dozen years. Our concern is that it will interfere with the proper process for offshore wind projects by bypassing the BPU’s process. We’re also concerned that the time and energy spent on this project will stop us from moving forward with larger, more efficient projects.

“Our other concern is that if the project will take away time and resources for better, larger, and more cost-effective offshore wind projects. This project does not require a competitive bidding process nor does it include requirements recommended above for ensuring environmental protections and stakeholder input. We can work towards our current goal of 1100 MW in the next two years and hopefully get the process going for 3500 MW of offshore wind by 2030. We’ve done studies to find the best places for wind that have the least environmental impacts six years ago.

“To ensure the successful launch of a New Jersey offshore wind industry, all offshore wind projects (both pilot and commercial scale) developed to meet the state’s goals should be thoroughly reviewed and selected through a competitive process that prioritizes minimizing environmental impacts and maximizing local economic benefits. An effective plan to build offshore wind must include a competitive process with transparent selection to advance projects that ensure greater environment protections, generate local jobs and economic benefits, and drive costs to ratepayers down. It also must include stakeholder engagement opportunities.

“We need to focus on putting together programs and mechanisms to get the 1100 MW built further off the coast. This will help make our long-term goals of 3500 MW by 2030 a reality. Offshore wind off our coast could feasibly power 1.2 million homes with clean energy. New Jersey has enough potential of offshore wind to meet 1/3 of our electrical needs. New Jersey needs to pursue policies to facilitate the construction of wind turbines off our coast.  We can grow our economy and create jobs while protecting our environment, but we need to focus on proper process, and large effective projects to make it happen. Instead, we have this as green cover for a giant nuclear subsidy.”