Feds approve Atlantic Shores offshore wind plan along Long Beach Island

Atlantic Shores South offshore wind project, to be built about 9 miles off Long Beach Island, received another important approval on the company's path toward construction.

On Tuesday, July 2, the U.S. Department of Interior announced federal officials had approved Atlantic Shore's plans to mitigate harm to the surrounding environment in the construction and operations of its energy facility.

The plans for Atlantic Shores South consists of two adjacent wind turbine fields that would have as many as 195 turbine generators and power cables that make landfall in Atlantic City and Sea Girt. It is the ninth offshore wind energy project approved by the federal government, and once complete will be New Jersey's first.

As part of the review process, the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, reviewed and approved the company's measures to minimize harm to local marine life and fisheries.

"The Biden-Harris administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today’s milestone is yet another step toward our ambitious goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030," said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland in a news release.

However, some Jersey Shore residents met the news with trepidation.

Bob Stern, founder of the group Save LBI , which opposes the Atlantic Shores project, said he was not surprised about the federal government's announcement.

"This particular project has significant adverse effects that many other (offshore wind) projects did not have: its unusual, extreme proximity to shore (and) its placement in the historic migration corridor of the North Atlantic right whale," Stern said.

Related: Offshore wind proponents, critics square off at Atlantic Shores hearing

The project would also concentrate marine traffic through a strip between wind turbine projects that could potentially put migrating whales at risk, he said. Atlantic Shores' construction would also cut off important ocean areas from recreational and commercial fishing communities, Stern said.

Environmentalists have countered that constructing wind farms off New Jersey's coast is an important step in reducing the state's greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.

"The Biden administration’s approval of the Atlantic Shores South project is good for our climate, our public health, our workers, and our wallets," said Anjuli Ramos, New Jersey director of the Sierra Club, a large environmental organization. "We are proud to see New Jersey move towards renewable energy and offshore wind development, and away from dirty fossil fuels."

Atlantic Shores' leaders welcomed the announcement on Tuesday, and said both turbine fields, once complete, would power about 1 million New Jersey homes and provide the state with $1.9 billion in economic benefits.

"This milestone brings us one step closer to delivering New Jersey’s first offshore wind projects and for the state achieving its ambitious goal of 100% clean energy by 2035," said Joris Veldhoven, CEO of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, in a news release.

Stern, of Save LBI, said his members are not yet giving up their fight against Atlantic Shores.

"Our group, along with others, will be filing substantial pieces of litigation in the near future because we believe that the project and the process does not comply with any of our environmental statutes," he said. "It's unfortunate, but we will have to pursue that in court and try to get this project terminated."

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Feds approve Atlantic Shores offshore wind plan along Long Beach Island