New Jersey - Today, Congressman Van Drew announced he will be holding his first hearing in South Jersey on March 16th regarding offshore wind projects being built off the coast of New Jersey, with time and location to be announced in the coming weeks. 

Congressman Van Drew also announced that he will be introducing legislation that places a moratorium on all existing projects and legislation that will prohibit all future projects. As a result of these comprehensive hearings, it will determine what the best course of action will be and if additional pieces of legislation are needed. 

"The unknown impacts of these offshore wind projects raises serious concerns, especially after 18 whales have washed ashore near where surveying is taking place, six of which have been in New Jersey," said Congressman Van Drew. "These projects will have substantial impacts on the local tourism industry, the fishing industry, and the surrounding environment. As Vice Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, I am holding these hearings in order to discover what exactly these impacts will be and to determine what additional pieces of legislation will be adequate to address the issue."