Photo of dead whale that washed ashore in brigantine. Photo by mmsc
Photo of dead whale that washed ashore in Brigantine. Photo by MMSC

Feds to Issue Permit to Offshore Wind Co. to ‘Take’ a Few Endangered Whales During Construction in New Jersey

Posted by
1 min read
September 20, 2023

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ – On Friday, September 22, NOAA Fisheries will initiate a 30-day public comment period for proposed regulations related to Atlantic Shores’ Atlantic Shores South Project. The offshore wind energy venture is slated to operate within the New Jersey Wind Energy Area and aims to provide clean energy to the state under Offshore Renewable Energy Certificates.

The federal governor claims construction related to offshore wind energy projects will not affect marine life. However, the take permit says those same companies can ‘take’ whales and dolphins affected by sonar mapping, which it also claims, are not affected by sonar mapping.

The regulations, developed under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, will address the “take” of small numbers of marine mammals over a five-year span due to underwater noise generated by the project’s activities.

NOAA Fisheries has received a request from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind LLC, a joint venture between EDF-RE Offshore Development LLC (a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF Renewables, Inc.) and Shell New Energies US LLC, for Incidental Take Regulations and associated Letters of Authorization.

According to the NOAA, the requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by Level A harassment and Level B harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals over the course of 5 years (2025 – 2029) incidental to the construction of Atlantic Shores South located offshore of New Jersey within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf Lease Area OCS-A 0499 and associated ECCs.

NOAA Fisheries claims it has provisionally found that the requested take will have a negligible effect on the impacted marine mammal species and stocks. The proposal outlines obligatory mitigation measures to minimize or prevent the impact on marine mammals and their habitats and includes mandates for monitoring and reporting to further understand these effects.

The public has the opportunity to weigh in on these proposed regulations from September 22 to October 23. Documents concerning this proposed action, as well as details on submitting a public comment, will be accessible on NOAA’s website.

This move aligns with NOAA’s ongoing efforts to responsibly advance the United States’ offshore wind energy capabilities while safeguarding protected marine resources and their habitats.

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.

Don't Miss

Exit mobile version