 Date: August 3, 2020
1 - 4 p.m. Held Via Webinar Join the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) for a public meeting to discuss the draft New Jersey Offshore Wind Strategic Plan to address the state’s goal of 7,500 megawatts of offshore wind energy development by 2035. The meeting will consist of a brief presentation by NJBPU Staff recapping the State of New Jersey offshore wind goals and activities to date, as well as some brief background on the requirements of the Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) and Executive Orders (EO) No. 8 & No. 92. A brief presentation of the content of the draft Offshore Wind Strategic Plan will follow. The floor will then be opened for comments by members of the public.  The Littoral Society’s mission is to promote the conservation and study of marine life and its habitats. That is the “why” of our work.
Having been around since 1961, the language of our mission harkens back to a more formal, subdued era. But make no mistake, “promoting the conservation and study” of coastal wildlife is dynamic, growing, community-based, and aimed at strategically putting back missing pieces – whether they are gone because of a storm or human irresponsibility. Our largest effort has been restoring miles of beaches along the Delaware Bay. Those beaches are critical to spawning horseshoe crabs and migrating shorebirds such as the Red Knot. The beaches, fundamental components of the Bay ecosystem, were simply gone after Hurricane Sandy.  Putting sand back on a beach is fairly common practice on the east coast of the US, but not for restoring and protecting the places that wild things live.
However, the American Littoral Society and partners have been doing such projects on the New Jersey shoreline of the Delaware Bay for nearly a decade. The result has been better habitat for horseshoe crabs and migratory shorebirds. A study in the July 9 edition of the Marine Ecology Progress Series (a peer-reviewed scientific journal) quantifies the benefits of that work, while also indicating that outcomes can be further improved by expanding project scope and integrating other coastal restoration strategies.  As part of #PlasticFreeJuly the American Littoral Society is asking members and supporters to join the global movement to #breakfreefromplastic by signing your name in support of the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act.
This bold federal legislation was introduced by U.S. Senator Tom Udall (NM) and U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal (CA-47) to tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Take the pledge and do your part to protect our ocean, waterways, and wildlife from plastic pollution. Together we CAN make a difference. In late June, the Littoral Society and partners, spent a day banding 20 young osprey living in New York City's Jamaica Bay.
These raptors have made a come back in NYC as water quality has improved, harmful chemicals have been banned from use, and our waterways have become more abundant with fish. Don Riepe, Director of the Littoral Society's Northeast Chapter and the Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian, was joined by staff from the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, and Chris Nadareski, research scientist for the city's Department of Environmental Protection Wildlife Studies unit. |
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