Offshore Wind Fight Focuses on Funding Local Opponents / The Sandpaper / April 10, 2024 By Gina G. Scala A Brown University professor is clapping back against opponents of New Jersey’s offshore wind farm program, saying local groups are not as autonomous as they’d like homeowners to believe. Timmons Roberts, professor of environmental studies and Read More »
ABOUT RISING SEAS
New Jersey is second in the nation, behind Florida, for most homes at risk from chronic flooding due to rising seas. Over 60,000 properties in New Jersey could be at risk for chronic flooding by 2045. This isn’t just a problem at the Jersey Shore – it’s happening all over the state, with inland and riverside communities facing flooding and extreme weather as well.
Community members like us must be actively engaged in planning for the present and future of their homes and towns. We need to find active solutions to rising seas and extreme weather that will keep us safe and afloat.
One of these is responsibly developed offshore wind. To us, “responsibly developed” offshore wind means projects that are responsive to our local needs, mindful of our ocean habitats, and beneficial to our state and the people who live there. That includes wildlife protections, research and monitoring, economic and environmental investments, community benefits, small business opportunities, and investment in marine safety. We want to see real benefits and positive impacts from construction hubs, turbine installation, and transmission lines coming to our towns.
As we like to say at NJRP, nothing about us without us. We’re by, for, and made up of people who want a say in the things that affect their day-to-day lives. If offshore wind is coming to New Jersey, then the people who live here need to have a say in what that looks like.
A New Grid: How Do We Get There?
By Robert Freudenberg, Vice President of Energy and Environment for Regional Plan Association First constructed in the early 1900’s, the grid (a vast and long-established network of power plants, substations, transformers, and power lines known as the electric grid that power our communities) is continually being added to and improved to ensure reliability, reduce vulnerabilities, Read More »
Protect Our Ocean Neighbors
By Amber Hewitt, Program Director for the National Wildlife Foundation Offshore wind power is the nation’s largest, nearly untapped clean energy solution. It presents an opportunity to replace the carbon-polluting fossil fuels that are driving climate change, which threaten marine and coastal ecosystems. It is imperative that as we advance climate solutions, we do so Read More »
Imagining a Future for the Jersey Shore
By Lisa Campanella, Senior Policy Analyst, and Cameron Foster, Communications Organizer When I think about what the year 2050 will look like for the Jersey Shore, I picture a future that isn’t too different from the present. The things that make me proud to call it my lifelong home are still here, from friendly neighbors Read More »
Both Sides of Offshore Wind Claim Victory
Both Sides of Offshore Wind Claim Victory / The Sandpaper / November 15, 2023 By Gina G. Scala If there’s a message proponents of wind farms planned off the coast of New Jersey want to make clear in the wake of Ørsted’s announcement that it was abandoning its two projects, it’s this: It isn’t over. Read More »
Documentary Film, Tuckerton Gathering Favor Ocean Wind Farms
Documentary Film, Tuckerton Gathering Favor Ocean Wind Farms / The Sandpaper / May 10, 2023 By Rick Mellerup A new short documentary film regarding ocean wind farms, directed by Jon Coen, premiered last Sunday evening at the Union Market, located at the Tuckerton Seaport in Tuckerton. A panel discussion followed at the event, which drew Read More »
Little Egg Harbor Bulkhead Project Begins Soon
Little Egg Harbor Bulkhead Project Begins Soon / The Sandpaper / April 26, 2023 By Gina Scala Flanked by the bay to east and the Pine Barrens to the west, Little Egg Harbor Township lies at the southernmost end of Ocean County, about as far from offshore wind development as a Jersey Shore community can Read More »
BUT NEXT TIME: STORM SURVIVORS DEMAND OVERHAUL OF DISASTER RECOVERY SYSTEM
But Next Time is a report written by a group of leaders who have navigated multiple disasters for decades and are building tools and networks to strengthen our response to major storms and climate events. Our goal is to address both the immediate humanitarian needs on the ground and advance long term structural change and Read More »
Good News and Bad News for Ida Recovery
Ida survivors identified key next steps coming out of our Community Meetings – and one key next step was getting grant funds moving to help families. As part of that, the New Jersey Organizing Project1 organized meetings with both Congressman Malinowski and Congressman Gottheimer and Ida survivors to discuss the impacts of Ida, mitigation issues, Read More »
What does Offshore Wind that Works for Our Communities look like?
The Jersey Shore is unique and special. Some of us call it home, some of us visit it frequently. All of us benefit from the tourism and fishing economies. Over the last 10 years we have seen severe weather become more frequent, our local businesses struggle and many of our communities are already living with Read More »