FISHERMEN GOOD WITH OCEAN WIND

Wind energy officials say ocean projects won't harm fishing industry
Ben Leach, October 12, 2010 (Press of Atlantic City)

"Wind energy officials speaking at a Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council meeting…assured the board that their projects would not hurt the fishing industry.

"Dan Cohen, president of Cape May-based Fishermen’s Energy, told the council there are still a number of hurdles on the federal level, so his company is focusing on a pilot project located 2.8 miles off the coast of Atlantic City, keeping it within state waters."

From Fisherman's Energy - click to enlarge

"Since the company is funded 100 percent by commercial fishing companies, according to Cohen, they are doing as much studying ahead of time as necessary to minimize the impact of wind turbine construction on any fisheries off the coastline.

"An ecological study done by the state…[found] that the impact of the offshore wind turbines on the marine environment would be “minimal” …[and] the company received no negative comments from a public comment period this year…[It] is awaiting the results of another public comment period being held by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers…[expects to have] permits soon…[and wants] to make Atlantic City the official birthplace of offshore wind in the United States."

From Fisherman's Energy - click to enlarge

"…[T]he company is planning to develop a 6,000-megawatt grid that runs parallel to the coast of the eastern United States from southern Virginia to northern New Jersey…When wind farms are constructed and hooked up to the grid…[it] could provide 21 million-megawatt hours worth of electricity annually.

"Since this would be expanding over a larger area in federal waters, and they would need multiple connection points to get the energy generated by wind power back onto land, a number of studies still need to be performed, especially concerning marine life off the coast…"