6 Charged During Protests As Offshore Wind Work Begins In Ocean City

OCEAN CITY, NJ — As offshore wind developer Orsted prepared to begin work Tuesday for the onshore portion of the Ocean Wind 1 project, they were met with protestors in an attempt to further delay the project.

While road-opening work for an onshore cable was able to begin despite the protestors, six were arrested in the process, according to city officials.

The protestors were given four warnings to vacate the road, Ocean City spokesperson Doug Bergen said.

"The first was at approximately 8:30 a.m. and the last was just after 12 p.m.," Bergen said. Protestors were also offered an area about 10 feet from the work zone to protest legally, he said.

"There were three people lying in the street," Robin Shaffer, a spokesman for the local anti-wind group Protect Our Coast NJ, told the Associated Press.

The protestors did not leave the work zone and police were "forced" to arrest them so work could continue safely, Bergen said.

The six were each charged with disorderly conduct - failure to disperse and obstruction of highways or public pathways, Bergen said. None of the six are Ocean City residents.

"This is how democracy works," Mayor Jay Gillian said in a statement. "I wish we would not have had to arrest anybody, but I understand their passion. I hope that our state and federal officials are paying attention. We're about to spend billions of taxpayer and ratepayer dollars on a project with way too many unknowns."

"Ocean Wind I continues to progress with today's commencement of in-road site investigation in Ocean City," spokesman Tom Suthard told the Associated Press. "We respect the public's right to peacefully protest. However, the health and safety of the workers and members of the local community is our top priority. We appreciate the support of local law enforcement who work every day to keep our communities safe."

This was not the first attempt at delaying the project. The city itself was court ordered to allow this work to begin after refusing to issue a necessary permit. Read more: Ocean City Must Issue Permits For Offshore Wind, Judge Rules

Orsted recently announced that due to financial reasons and supply chain issues, Ocean Wind 1 would be delayed until 2026.

"We will continue our fight in state and federal courts. If anything, Orsted's announcement will only intensify our activities, for it shows the positive outcomes that can result when thousands of hard working, committed citizens get together to fight for our oceans, our shores, our livelihoods and our environment," Shaffer said at the time.

Further Reading

Ocean Wind 1 Delayed Until 2026, Developers Say

Offshore Wind Easement Must Be Issued, Judge Tells Cape May County

Ocean City The First Battleground In National Offshore Wind Fight