GALLOWAY, N.J. — The future of New Jersey’s offshore wind power industry just received a promising boost with the announcement of Governor Phil Murphy’s Energy Master Plan. The plan formalizes a major role for offshore wind power in New Jersey’s strategy to achieve a 100 percent clean energy future by 2050. The Energy Master Plan includes New Jersey’s offshore wind goal of 7,500 megawatts by 2035, enough to power more than three million Garden State homes. Murphy underscored the importance of responsibly developing this critical climate change solution when he set this goal in Executive Order 72 this past November.

The National Wildlife Federation and its New Jersey affiliate, New Jersey Audubon Society, applauded Murphy’s leadership in seizing the immense clean energy and job creation opportunity of offshore wind power.

“The climate crisis is one of the most urgent challenges of our time and demands action and leadership from states across the nation,” said Curtis Fisher, Northeast Regional Executive Director at the National Wildlife Federation. “We applaud Governor Murphy for defining the critical role that offshore wind must play in transforming New Jersey from a fossil fuel powered past to a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future. We will keep working together to protect wildlife every step of the way, while safeguarding communities, creating jobs, and supporting sustainable economic growth.”

“As recent reports have shown, we have lost billions of birds in the last few decades, insects are dying off at an alarming rate, and we are in the midst of a wildlife crisis, which are all being driven, at least in part, by climate change. Thankfully, Governor Murphy’s administration has decided to take this challenge head-on with his visionary energy master plan, which includes one of the nation’s strongest commitments to responsibly developed offshore wind energy,” said Eric Stiles, president and CEO of New Jersey Audubon. “The EMP is a bold proposal to tackle a problem that requires immediate action, and we applaud the governor’s vision for a clean energy future that fights climate change while protecting our natural resources.”

The National Wildlife Federation is part of a diverse group of environmental, business, and public interest groups supporting the final New Jersey Energy Master Plan.

The immense economic and environmental benefits of offshore wind power have been realized across the globe for over a decade. In the United States, leadership from the states has been pivotal in this industry catching wind. For more on offshore wind in New Jersey and the bold advancements made by the Murphy Administration, visit offshorewind.nwf.org/New-Jersey.

offshorewind2 • January 27, 2020