Norah Langweiler

I am a lifelong South Jersey resident living in Egg Harbor Township. My husband and I are local business owners – I run a small farm and he is a third-generation owner of a family restaurant. 

The reality of extreme weather and rising seas is here. We see it in massive storms that flood our communities and fever heat that shrivels our beautiful garden state. We need to act now and invest in clean renewable energy. The expansion of offshore wind is a necessary step towards a livable future for the Jersey Shore.

Development must create new opportunities for work and business. Offshore wind projects should guarantee equity in hiring and contracting, wages, support for domestic products, community benefits, and jobs for locals. I am thrilled that so much of this will be built by union workers, and see the opportunity to get more people trained and on pathways into secure, union jobs.

We must also provide opportunities for further economic uplift. How can restaurants, like my husband’s, be ready for more business from wind tourism? How can local businesses and charter boat owners collaborate to offer engaging ecotours?

Unless New Jersey acts, flooding and increasingly severe weather will end the Shore’s beauty and value. Sea levels are already rising in New Jersey – more than double the global average. If we want to preserve the shore for ourselves and for future generations – offshore wind energy is a key.