A massive offshore wind project set to be built off the New Jersey coast will be abandoned after its developer had a key Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) permit pulled in March, according to multiple reports.
Atlantic Shores filed to cancel its contract with New Jersey utility regulators to provide electricity to the state on June 4, according to multiple reports. The company cited EPA’s decision to pull its permit and President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking permits for new offshore wind projects as major factors in its decision to walk away from the project, according to E&E News.
“This filing marks the closing of a chapter,” Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Chief Executive Officer Joris Veldhoven said Monday, according to Bloomberg.
Had it been completed, the Atlantic Shores project was projected to power almost a million homes in the New Jersey area using up to 200 massive offshore wind turbines, according to Bloomberg.
“Offshore wind continues to offer New Jersey a strong value proposition that includes thousands of good paying jobs, stable power prices, and real economic benefits,” Atlantic Shores CEO Joris Veldhoven told The Press of Atlantic City, a local news outlet.
Democratic New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy characterized the project as a “major component of achieving our goal of 100 percent clean energy by 2050, while providing significant opportunities and economic benefits for our state” in 2021.
Hopefully the Ocean City windmill project to destroy the view, the inlet, marine life etc. will go away as well!