Van Drew Voices Opposition To Proposed Offshore Wind Farm

Posted March 27th 2023

U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew conducted a hearing in March examining offshore wind industrialization, a sensitive topic on the Seven Mile Beach since a wind farm is proposed off the coast of Cape May County. The hearing at the Wildwoods Convention Center drew a standing-room crowd. According to Van Drew, “This is the most profound transformation of the Atlantic Coast in the history of the United States.”

Local concerns have been raised over the winter months on the wind farm’s effect on property values, on the natural habitat offshore, and on the fishing industry. Concerns were accelerated over the winter when the carcasses of more than a dozen whales washed ashore on the New Jersey coast. Although no scientific evidence has been presented to support the theory, opponents of the project are concerned that at least some of the deaths may be related to the sonar mapping of the ocean floor that took place last fall in advance of any construction.

Van Drew has proposed a moratorium on the project to allow for a full investigation. According to the congressman, “These projects will have substantial impact on the local tourism industry and the surrounding environment.”