Public Hearing on New Jersey Offshore Wind Farm

Public Hearing on New Jersey Offshore Wind Farm

The Director of the Cape May County Board of Commissioners, Len Desiderio, and Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian have announced that they will be holding a Public Information Session on March 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. at the Ocean City Tabernacle.

The session aims to provide answers to the public’s questions and concerns regarding the wind company Orsted’s efforts to place wind turbines off the shores of Cape May County.

According to Director Desiderio, the session will be the first of several public information sessions held in partnership with the City of Ocean City to challenge the process at the Board of Public Utilities that Orsted used to set aside Home Rule.

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Desiderio stated, “We have been working with the City of Ocean City for many months now. Our partnership continues, including this first of several Public Information Sessions.”

Orsted recently filed petitions against Cape May County and Ocean City before the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, despite objections from both parties, as well as the Office of New Jersey Rate Counsel.

The BPU granted Orsted permission to file environmental permit applications and take interests in public lands away from the County and Ocean City, giving them to Orsted.

Mayor Gillian expressed his frustration with the situation, stating, “We tried very hard to have productive discussions with the wind developer. But they went to the legislature and got a bill through to take away Home Rule and then they used that to get the BPU, an unelected state agency, to take away the authority of the duly elected leaders of Cape May County and Ocean City and to give this foreign Big-Wind company what they want.”

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The public information session on March 15th will give the County of Cape May and Ocean City an opportunity to provide updates to the public on the matter and listen to the concerns of the community.

Former New Jersey Superior Court Judge, Michael J. Donohue, who is Special Counsel to the County of Cape May on windmill issues, as well as other County and Ocean City staff, will be in attendance.

Although not mandatory, interested members of the public can pre-register for the session at capewindinfo.com.

The wind turbines off the shores of Cape May County remain a contentious issue, and the public information session is a crucial opportunity for residents to voice their concerns and opinions.

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