WEST WILDWOOD – Although West Wildwood is a back bay community, Commissioner Joseph Segrest asked his fellow commissioners to join Cape May County in voicing opposition to wind farms in the Atlantic Ocean.
Segrest said since the Cape May County Board of County Commissioners passed Resolution 314-23, May 23, opposing wind farms off the coast of Cape May County, 10 of the 16 municipalities in Cape May County have voiced agreement with the county commissioners’ resolution.
“I think we should join the 10,” Segrest said.
Segrest said he believed the West Wildwood Board of Commissioners was dragging its feet on the issue, which he said would affect the people of the borough, even though it’s not on the oceanfront.
Segrest said while he believes the wind farm issue should be determined on the facts, he said the commissioners should come up with a decision by the board’s next meeting, July 7, to support or oppose the resolution.
“The third option is to stay neutral,” Commissioner John Banning said.
Segrest said he was convinced in his position, but both Banning and Mayor Matt Ksiazek said they wanted more time to read up on the issue.
“It’s tough to make a decision without all the information. I don’t have enough to make an informed decision,” Banning said.
In 2019, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities granted Danish wind farm developer Ørsted permission for a project known as Ocean Wind I. Since then, a second phase, Ocean Wind II, was added and the two projects would result in approximately 200 wind turbines being placed in the ocean between 9 and 15 miles off the coast.
Opposition to the project has been bolstered by recent lawsuits filed by private groups in the wake of Cape May County’s resolution.
