NEW JERSEY WIND WORKS COALITION REITERATES SUPPORT FOR OFFSHORE WIND

TRENTON – The following is a statement from members of the New Jersey Wind Works Coalition in response to a news conference sponsored by groups seeking to halt or delay the crucial development of clean energy projects such as responsibly developed offshore wind farms.

“The greatest threat to our oceans and marine life is climate change. Responsibly developed offshore wind will help us mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis, create good family-sustaining union jobs, have better domestic control of our energy production, and improve the overall health of our communities by phasing out fossil fuels,” said Ed Potosnak, Executive Director, New Jersey LCV. “We call on those who care about protecting marine life to address actual threats to wildlife by slowing vessels down, eliminating abandoned fishing nets, addressing plastic pollution, and of course addressing climate change.”

“New Jersey has one of the most sophisticated ocean monitoring systems in the world. We can be confident that every available resource is being utilized to address any legitimate concerns and to ensure that offshore wind is being developed responsibly,” said Heidi Yeh, Policy Director for the Pinelands Preservation Alliance. “What is certain is that climate change is wreaking havoc on our oceans. The Secretary-General of the UN declared that the latest IPCC report is ‘a clarion call to massively fast-track climate efforts by every country and every sector and on every timeframe.’ This is why the overwhelming majority of environmental groups support the responsible development of offshore wind.”

“Responsible offshore wind energy is an essential ingredient in creating a clean renewable energy grid and ensuring we have clean air to breathe. As we saw on World Oceans Day last week, the climate crisis induced wildfires that made the air so polluted we couldn’t breathe,” said Jennifer Coffey, Executive Director, ANJEC. “We’re in a climate crisis and the best way to protect our oceans and marine life is to address climate change at large. We no longer have the luxury of sitting back and waiting.”

“UU Faith Action NJ  supports utility-scale offshore wind projects as a practical, economical, and relatively fast way to make a meaningful cut in our reliance on fossil fuels”, said Charles Loflin, Executive Director. “In the name of social justice we must take action to reduce the causes of climate change, which harm our health and damage natural systems that we depend upon for life and which impact poor communities and communities of color disproportionately.”

####