MANASQUAN, N.J. — A grassroots group of Monmouth County residents is organizing a community meeting on Monday to oppose a proposed offshore wind transmission project that they claim poses significant risks to their towns. The meeting, organized by StoptheHighRiskPowerCables.org, will take place at the Manasquan Community Senior Center from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The proposed Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Interconnection Cable Project involves the installation of large-scale wind turbines off the southern coast of New Jersey, with the power generated being transmitted onshore through cables laid under residential streets in Sea Girt, Manasquan, Wall, and Howell. The project is expected to bring nearly 6,000 megawatts of power onshore, a capacity nearly ten times greater than that of the recently decommissioned Oyster Creek nuclear plant.
Residents opposing the project have expressed concerns about the unknown health effects of the cables, which would be placed between 3.5 to 8 feet underground and within 35 feet of homes, schools, and recreational areas. Additionally, the planned cable route through Sea Girt and Wall has raised environmental concerns, as it would intersect with sensitive habitats, including areas home to protected bird species, as well as the White Swan Laundry Federal Superfund site.
StoptheHighRiskPowerCables.org describes itself as a bipartisan, self-funded group demanding a halt to the project until a thorough risk evaluation is conducted. The group argues that many residents have not been adequately informed about the project by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU).
The community meeting will feature a panel of speakers, including local officials and environmental advocates, who will discuss the project’s potential impacts, update residents on legal actions, and share strategies for opposing similar projects. Confirmed speakers include Manasquan Mayor Michael Mangan, Sea Girt Mayor Donald Fetzer, NJ Assemblyman Paul Kanitra, and Cindy Zipf, Executive Director of Clean Ocean Action.
With contractor bids for the project due by September 30, organizers stress that this meeting marks a critical moment in their effort to delay or halt the project.
