Ocean County Leader

The White House has informed Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) that the Trump Administration, through the Department of Interior, has canceled three public hearings for the Vineyard Mid-Atlantic project off New Jersey's coast. This decision follows Smith's January 29th letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), questioning why hearings were proceeding despite President Trump's January 20th Executive Order pausing offshore wind approvals.

Smith expressed gratitude for President Trump's executive order and subsequent action to ensure BOEM's compliance by canceling what he described as "dubious public hearings" supporting the Vineyard Mid-Atlantic offshore wind project. He stated, "Under the new Trump Administration, bureaucrats at BOEM and their allies in the massive foreign energy companies will no longer be able to ride roughshod over the concerns of local New Jersey communities, jeopardize national security, and destroy the critical environmental and cultural resources that compromise our beloved Jersey Shore."

Smith emphasized that President Trump's pause order remains necessary for a comprehensive review of federal wind leasing processes and their shortcomings, including "potential inadequacies in various environmental reviews required by the National Environmental Policy Act."

This development is part of Smith's ongoing efforts to highlight perceived deficiencies in scrutiny, environmental vetting, and legal frameworks for such projects. He introduced legislation passed by the House in July 2023 requiring presidential certification that offshore wind projects would not affect radar capabilities used by federal agencies.

The news comes after Shell Energy withdrew from the Atlantic Shores South project off New Jersey's coast and following a decision by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities to cancel its fourth offshore wind solicitation. Smith noted these developments as evidence that efforts by President Trump, shore residents, and Congress members are ending support for what he termed "terrible projects."