The U.S. Interior Department on Tuesday approved the Atlantic Shores offshore wind farm project in New Jersey, giving a major boost to a project that would be the state’s first.
The project still requires additional federal approval of its construction and operating plan, as well as two state permits, before construction can begin.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the department’s decision marked the ninth offshore wind project approved under the Biden administration, greenlighting 13 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power 5 million homes.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today’s milestone is another step toward our ambitious goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030,” she said in a statement. “Our clean energy future is now a reality. We are fighting climate change, growing jobs, and promoting equitable economic opportunity for all communities.”
The project, which would be carried out in two phases, would be built between Atlantic City and Long Beach Island in southern New Jersey. It would produce 2,800 megawatts, enough to power 1 million homes.
“This milestone brings us one step closer to delivering New Jersey’s first offshore wind projects and the state’s ambitious goal of producing 100% clean energy by 2035,” Atlantic Shores CEO Joris Veldhoven said in a statement. “We recognize the importance of this milestone and are excited to work with our supply chain partners to continue making near-term investments and creating good-paying union jobs.”
Opponents of offshore wind are well organized and vocal in New Jersey, and one of the many groups opposing the project, Protect Our Coast-NJ, said the federal and state governments are “moving in like a bull in a china shop, hurting overburdened communities and our incredible ocean with unwanted industrial construction projects.”
“The construction and operation of offshore wind turbines disrupts wildlife and ecosystems and threatens the livelihoods of commercial fishermen and small businesses throughout the East Coast,” the group said in a statement.
Atlantic Shores, which was donated preliminary approval in 2021 The Danish wind developer announced that the project, approved by New Jersey utility regulators, is now nearly as far along as a previously approved project that would have been New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm. Orsted was about to start work on two offshore wind farms but abandoned the project in October 2023 after deciding that it would not be economical to do so.
Many major environmental groups in the state have issued statements welcoming Atlantic Shores’ approval, saying it shows offshore wind is regaining a foothold in New Jersey after the Orsted setback.
“The Biden administration’s approval of the Atlantic Shores project is good for our climate, our public health, our workers, and our wallets,” said Anjuli Busot-Ramos, Sierra Club of New Jersey Director. “We are proud to see New Jersey moving toward renewable energy and offshore wind development, and away from polluting fossil fuels.”
Doug O’Malley, New Jersey’s environmental director, added: “On the cusp of a historic heat wave, there is no better week for the federal government to greenlight the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project. Every year without offshore wind to power our electric grid is another year we are overly reliant on fossil fuels to power our electric grid.”
The Interior Ministry said the project would be located about 14km from shore at its closest point. But the company has previously said it would not build to that line and that the nearest turbines would be at least 20.6km from shore.
Atlantic Shores is a joint partnership between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF-RE Offshore Development LLC.
The Interior Ministry has approved the construction of 195 wind turbines as part of the project; the company had requested up to 200.
