Support for offshore wind development in New Jersey has dropped dramatically in recent years as projects near construction, according to polling released Monday.

Just over half of residents — around 54 percent — approve of offshore wind farm construction, according to the Monmouth University survey, a decrease from 76 percent in 2019 and 84 percent in 2011.

“There was a time when wind energy was not really a political issue. It consistently received widespread bipartisan support for more than a decade,” Monmouth University Polling Institute director Patrick Murray said. “That is no longer the case.”

Wind development opponents have pointed to potential negative impacts on Jersey Shore tourism and the local sealife as reasons to go against the projects. In the poll, 40 percent of respondents said it would likely hurt tourism and 45 percent said the projects are possibly or definitely responsible for a rise in whale beachings in the state.

      • @CookieJarObserver
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        41 year ago

        Ok but what’s the problem with dirt cheap electricity? Wouldn’t that be in everyone’s favor?

        • @[email protected]
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          101 year ago

          That’d a very logical, smart, calm, and reasoned way to look at it. I applaud your calm logic.

          Now look up “Republican platforms” and see if any of those adjectives still apply.

    • The Quuuuuill
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      21 year ago

      New Jersey would rather keep raking tourism dollars than deal with the climate collapse (which would ruin the tourism at their beaches they want to protect from the ugliness of wind power)