Rally In Long Branch Saturday In Support Of Offshore Wind

LONG BRANCH, NJ — There will be a rally this Saturday in Long Branch in support of offshore wind turbines and wind energy in New Jersey.

The rally is primarily organized by the NJ Sierra Club, but also the New Jersey League of Conservation Voters and Greenpeace. Speakers include New Jersey DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, an appointee of Gov. Phil Murphy, state Senator Andrew Zwicker, former Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assemblyman Wayne DeAnjelo, all Democrats.

The rally will go from 12 noon to 3 p.m. on the Great Lawn at Beachfront North in Long Branch. Related: Massive Offshore Wind Farms Coming To The Jersey Shore

In February, hundreds gathered on the beach in Point Pleasant to demand NJ put a halt to all wind turbine mapping and construction, until it can be determined whether the turbines are harming whales and other marine life.

Gov. Murphy refused to issue a moratorium on wind turbine construction. Instead, Murphy and President Joe Biden are opening up thousands of acres of the Atlantic Ocean off New Jersey for wind turbine companies to lease: NJ's Offshore Wind Farms Grow To 9; Firms Bid $4B To Operate

While the waters off New York and New Jersey are witnessing an increase in dead whales and whale strandings since 2015, no direct link has been found between the sonar used to map the ocean floor to build the turbines and the whale/dolphin deaths.

Says the NJ Sierra Club:

"Not only can New Jersey’s three wind projects generate enough clean electricity to power 2 million homes directly in our state, it will power our state’s economy, as the average wind farm off of New Jersey's shore is expected to create 4,300 jobs and add $702 million to the state’s economy.

Additionally, it is important to recognize that climate change is the greatest threat to our marine wildlife as warming waters and changing ecosystems push marine mammals closer to our shores and into dangerous, busy shipping lanes and ports where they are vulnerable to vessel strikes. The New Jersey offshore wind projects have several measures in place to mitigate impacts to wildlife.

Now is the time to transition to a clean energy economy as New Jersey continues to experience climate change firsthand. Offshore wind is our greatest climate solution, and this rally will take a stand for climate action now."

Whale Floating In Raritan Bay Showed Signs Of Boat Strike, Feds Say (June 4)

Offshore Wind Moratorium Urged At Save The Whales Rally (Feb. 20)