{"id":24578,"date":"2024-10-31T04:15:24","date_gmt":"2024-10-31T08:15:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shorebeat.com\/brick\/?p=24578"},"modified":"2024-10-31T04:15:24","modified_gmt":"2024-10-31T08:15:24","slug":"report-n-j-offshore-wind-turbines-could-interfere-with-norad-radars-joint-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shorebeat.com\/brick\/2024\/10\/report-n-j-offshore-wind-turbines-could-interfere-with-norad-radars-joint-base\/","title":{"rendered":"Report: N.J. Offshore Wind Turbines Could Interfere With NORAD Radars, Joint Base"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Offshore<\/a>

Offshore wind turbine. (Photo: Harald Pettersen\/Statoil)<\/p><\/div>\n

A report authored by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management last spring raised concerns that wind turbines off the New Jersey coast could interfere with radar systems associated with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, including those at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst.<\/p>\n

The report came to light after U.S. Rep. Chris Smith this week slammed the federal agency for issuing a new memorandum of understanding<\/a> between BOEM and the U.S. Department of Defense to collaborate on offshore wind development, saying the agreement \u201cheightens serious concerns over whether projects that have already been approved were thoroughly and properly vetted by the U.S. military for adverse impacts on national security and military readiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Biden administration has already approved 10 offshore wind projects without having addressed the concerns highlighted in the report, leading Smith to question BOEM Director Liz Klein at a congressional hearing on whether offshore wind projects would make military vessel navigation less safe. Their exchange occurred just one week after Bloomberg reported that the Pentagon had deemed several areas off the East Coast as \u201chighly problematic\u201d for offshore wind development due to proximity to military operations.<\/p>\n

Locally, the 560-page BOEM report<\/a> issued in May raised concerns not only over vessel navigation, but radar arrays linked to NORAD, which is responsible for monitoring and securing the airspace of the United States and Canada. A review conducted as part of the BOEM report found potential issues with the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project, given its proximity to the Joint Base.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe review identified anticipated adverse project impacts on North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) radars and Department of the Navy missions,\u201d the reported stated, specifically giving mention to the Gibbsboro New Jersey Air Route Surveillance Radar (ARSR-4) and the Wrightstown-McGuire AFB New Jersey Airport Surveillance Radar (ASR-11), both of which are used for NORAD air defense missions.<\/p>\n

\u201cPotential impacts on military and national security operations from the permanent placement of structures within the water column and above the sea surface within the wind turbine area (WTA) are expected to be long term and localized,\u201d the report stated, adding that the structures could also complicate search-and-rescue operations carried out by the U.S. Coast Guard.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>

A lawn sign opposing wind turbines off Long Beach Island, Sept. 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)<\/p><\/div>\n

\"Future<\/a>

Future offshore wind farm sites off the New Jersey coast. (Source: BOEM)<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cBOEM\u2019s own analysis for the Atlantic Shores South project acknowledges that the offshore wind turbines would specifically interfere with federal and military radar systems, even mentioning Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst by name,\u201d said Smith. \u201cAnd yet shockingly, BOEM has already issued full federal approval for construction to move forward \u2014 even before reaching this new agreement to work with the Defense Department.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to BOEM, the memorandum of understanding includes calls for BOEM and DOD to:<\/p>\n