Support for offshore wind farms in new jersey sinks 30% in latest poll

TRENTON, NJ – Support for building wind turbines off the coast of New Jersey has declined notably in the past four years, especially in coastal towns, according to a poll by Stockton University released today.

In the poll, 50% of state residents said they are in favor of New Jersey’s plans to construct wind turbines at sea for electricity generation, while 33% are opposed. The results signify a 30 percentage point drop from a similar poll conducted in September 2019, which found 80% in support.

In communities bordering the ocean or a bay, the decline is even more pronounced. Support has dwindled from 77% to 33%, according to the survey conducted by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 4.0 percentage points.

The primary reasons cited for opposing the offshore wind turbines include potential harm to sea life and obstruction of ocean views.

Despite the decline in public support, the U.S. Interior Department approved the construction and operation of 98 wind turbines and up to three offshore substations as part of the Ocean Wind 1 project off the New Jersey coast in July.

John Froonjian, director of the Hughes Center, noted that public sentiment changed when the abstract idea of wind farms transitioned into concrete plans. He said that opposition has been particularly strong in coastal areas where wind farms have become a focal point in protests and local elections.

However, the same poll revealed that 72% of nearly 600 New Jersey adults are still concerned about climate change. Furthermore, 52% believe renewable energy like wind could improve the climate.

In addition, a plurality of respondents saw benefits in other areas, including local job opportunities (45%), reduced home energy costs (39%), and improved reliability of electric power (35%). Yet, 48% opposed offering tax breaks to companies involved in constructing the wind turbines.

When asked to gauge the impact of wind farms, 71% said they would affect ocean views and 68% believed they would have an impact on marine life. On the topic of tourism, 27% thought it would be greatly affected, while 28% believed there would be minor impact.

Alyssa Maurice, a Hughes Center research associate, noted that “on every question, residents of shore communities were more negative about wind energy than people living elsewhere in New Jersey.”

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