New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew sharply criticized a green energy company for declining to attend a hearing he hosted Thursday about the impact of offshore wind on marine life.
noted that Orsted, a Denmark-based power company worth more than $240 billion, has been absent from the ongoing review of offshore wind impacts on wildlife, particularly endangered whale species, despite having an office located in his district. The company is involved in multiple offshore wind projects along the East Coast, including a 2,200-megawatt development along the shoreline of Van Drew's district.
"I invited Orsted to come testify at the hearing with weeks advanced notice. They have an office located in my district, yet they declined the opportunity to appear in front of our panel consisting of expert witnesses," Van Drew told Fox News Digital. "Orsted has claimed they have had a ‘comprehensive, public process,’ yet I know my district, and it would be very difficult to find anyone from our community to our stakeholders who feel that they have been involved in that process.
"It is becoming more and more clear that [Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ] and [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ] are in collusion with these companies, and they won’t be able to hide forever."Andy Harris, R-Md., and Scott Perry, R-Pa., also attended — in response to a recent unprecedented uptick in whale deaths along the East Coast.
"All of us up here believe serious, aggressive and independent analysis of the ocean-altering impact of these projects is so egregious," Smith said at the hearing Thursday."The wind farm approval process has been shoddy at best, leaving unaddressed and unanswered numerous serious questions concerning the extraordinarily harmful environmental impact on marine life."
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