Lawsuits could delay the start of New Jersey’s first offshore wind power project

By WAYNE PARRY
Associated Press

OCEAN CITY, N.J. (AP) — A tangle of litigation could delay the start of New Jersey’s first offshore wind energy project. Wind developer Orsted is suing governments to stop delaying necessary permits, and citizens groups are trying to halt the project altogether. The latest comes as Orsted sues Cape May County, alleging the government is dragging its feet in issuing a road permit needed to do test work along the route a power cable would run. The company is also suing the city of Ocean City over similar delays. Last month, three citizens groups challenged New Jersey’s determination that the Ocean Wind I project is consistent with state coastal management rules.