New Jersey will not provide financial backing to new offshore wind projects, Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration announced Monday. The decision blows a hole in his environmental agenda and legacy and effectively dooms Atlantic Shores, a project off the coast of Atlantic City that has been the focus of opposition from President Donald Trump and Republican New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew.
Murphy, a term-limited Democrat, took office in 2018 hoping offshore wind projects would be a perfect issue to unite a liberal coalition and ensure his legacy by providing clean energy to fight climate change and megaprojects to employ union workers.
Instead, the industry is in tatters and Murphy will leave office without a single wind turbine in the water.
In a statement, the governor called the industry a “once-in-a-generation opportunity to create tens of thousands of jobs, drive an entirely new manufacturing supply chain, and secure energy independence,” but he acknowledged the realities facing it. He said the “offshore wind industry is currently facing significant challenges, and now is the time for patience and prudence.”
