High-Voltage Cable Route Scheme into Atlantic City, NJ, Bad Idea

The community organization, Defend Our Beaches, NJ is holding a press conference on Tuesday, June 25, 2024 at 10:00 a.m., to blow the whistle on the an Atlantic Shores offshore wind company project.

The press conference is being organized by Defend Our Beaches, NJ, also known as, Defend Brigantine Beach, Inc.

Speakers at the community event include:

• Seth Grossman, Esq., former Atlantic City Council Member and Atlantic County Commissioner.
• Steven L. Young, Atlantic City Community Leader and Activist.
• Mayor Vincent J Sera, Brigantine.

The meeting will be held at South Belmont Avenue and the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Atlantic Shores is seeking approval from NJDEP to utilize protected beach and parkland for a high-voltage cable route.

In advance of this important educational meeting, here is what Defend Our Beaches, NJ has to say:

Atlantic Shores will hold a public virtual meeting on June 25, 2024, at 6:00 PM to gather comments on their request for NJDEP approval to divert Green Acres Program protected land. This diversion is intended to facilitate the onshore routing of high-voltage cables onto the Atlantic City beach, through Atlantic City streets, Pete Pallitto Park, past the Atlantic City Boathouse, and through Bader Field. These areas are valuable and highly utilized beach and parkland. If approved, this project could jeopardize the health and safety of Atlantic City residents and significantly impact the local and county economy, which relies heavily on tourism. The people most affected, particularly Atlantic City residents, have not been adequately informed about the project or its potential ramifications, including health, safety, and environmental justice concerns. Atlantic Shores 1 project is being fast-tracked in violation of various laws and basic human rights, said Defend Our Beaches NJ.

This community event will be a prebuttal to a virtual public meeting to be held by Atlantic Shores later this same evening.

Here is a diagram of the Atlantic Shores high-voltage cable scheme that, if approved, will run under iconic sections of Atlantic City.

The upcoming June 25, 2024 (6:00 p.m.) Atlantic Shores event constitutes a final hearing regarding:

“the disposition of the land. The purpose of the hearing will be to receive public comments on the proposed diversion of an approximately 1.8-acre portion of City-owned parkland pursuant to N.J.A.C. 7:36-26.11(e). The affected properties owned by the City are as follows: 1. Block 1, Lots 58 and 59 (1.35 acres) - Beach/Boardwalk parcels between South Texas Avenue and Iowa Avenue. 2. Block 794, Lot 1 (0.19 acres) - Bader Field, 545 Albany Avenue. 3. Block 370, Lots 1.01, 2, and 2.01 (0.26 acres)- in-water Boat House parcel and Pete Pallitto Field located at the intersection of Fairmount Avenue and Sovereign Avenue. The proposed land for exchange with their Diversion request is supposed to be an equivalent or better parcel of land to be protected (i.e., encumbered). This is clearly not the case here,” according to Defend Our Beaches, NJ.

SOURCE: Defend Our Beaches NJ.