Feds give green light to two wind farms off New Jersey coast • New Jersey Monitor

Federal authorities approved construction of up to 195 wind turbines off the New Jersey coast Tuesday, a victory for Gov. Phil Murphy’s wind energy program.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a decision approving the construction of two offshore wind farms by Atlantic Shores, about 10 miles off the coast of Atlantic City.

“Our clean energy future is already a reality — through President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, we are addressing climate change, supporting job growth, and promoting equal economic opportunity for all communities,” Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said in a statement.

The administrative action clears the way for construction to begin on Atlantic Shores One and Two, wind farms that, when completed, are expected to generate a combined total of more than 2,800 megawatts of energy — enough to power more than one million homes.

Murphy has set ambitious renewable energy goals for New Jersey, including having the state generate 100 percent of its energy from renewable sources by 2035 and creating at least 11,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2040.

The governor on Tuesday thanked President Joe Biden for “bringing us one step closer to a 100% clean energy future.”

Tuesday’s decision comes after Murphy’s wind energy ambitions have hit a series of setbacks in recent years, including when Danish wind giant Ørsted withdrew from two proposed 1,100-megawatt wind farms in October last year.

Despite the setbacks, state energy regulators continued to solicit and award bids for wind energy projects.

In January, the Public Utilities Board approved construction of two wind farms that will collectively generate more than 3,700 megawatts of energy.

In late April, the board opened the fourth round of bidding for offshore wind projects, which is set to close on July 10. The invitation is for 1,200 to 4,000 megawatts of offshore wind capacity.

In May, management announced it would launch the fifth round of offshore wind project tenders in the second quarter of 2025, more than a year ahead of the original third-quarter 2026 start date.

The new timeline means Murphy’s administration will preside over a round of offshore wind bids that would otherwise go under his successor. The governor is barred from seeking a third consecutive term, which would extend his term beyond the first weeks of 2026.

New Jersey Republicans oppose offshore wind energy, saying wind research activities disorient whales and are responsible for numerous whale deaths and strandings along the Eastern Seaboard.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has cited climate change as an explanation for the increased deaths and strandings since 2016, saying warmer waters are pushing marine life into busier waters where they are more likely to be hit by boats and killed.