Turbine Installation Begins at Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Farm


By Mike Schuler, gCaptain

Turbine installation has kicked off at the nation’s largest offshore wind project just days after a federal judge lifted the Trump administration’s controversial work suspension, with Senator Tim Kaine announcing the installation of the first permanent turbine tower at the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW).

Local media footage shows the newly commissioned installation, U.S.-flagged Wind Turbine Installation Vessel (WTIV) Charybdis, erecting the first of 176 turbine towers 27 miles off Virginia Beach — a milestone that marks a critical turning point for the $11.2 billion project after weeks of legal uncertainty threatened to derail construction.

“Today, I toured the Portsmouth Marine Terminal and was updated on the progress made on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project,” Kaine wrote on social media. “This incredible project will bolster offshore wind in Virginia, lower costs, and grow the local economy.”

The installation follows a January 16 ruling by Judge Jamar Walker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, which granted Dominion Energy a preliminary injunction allowing work to resume while its lawsuit challenging the Interior Department’s December 22 suspension of CVOW and four other offshore wind projects under construction in federal waters proceeds.

The decision marked the third federal court setback in a week for the administration’s offshore wind suspension, following similar rulings favoring Equinor’s $5.3 billion Empire Wind project off New York and Ørsted’s Revolution Wind in the Northeast. All had been halted by a December 22 Interior Department order citing national-security concerns tied to possible radar interference.

At the Norfolk hearing, Judge Walker concluded that Interior’s sweeping stop-work order was not narrowly tailored to Dominion’s project. The court noted that the government’s cited national security concerns — particularly related to radar interference — applied primarily to wind farm operations rather than construction activity.

The timing was critical for Dominion, which has already invested nearly $9 billion into the project and warned that the construction pause was costing roughly $5 million per day. Following the ruling, the company said it would “focus on safely restarting work to ensure CVOW begins delivery of critical energy in just weeks.”

Interior had ordered the suspension on December 22, citing newly classified national security information. But a growing string of courtroom defeats suggests the administration may face difficulty sustaining the policy under judicial scrutiny.

Commissioning setbacks pushed the start of turbine installation from an initial September target to late November 2025, adding to the already complex project’s schedule pressure.

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Enviros hail NJ’s enactment of ‘skip-the-stuff’ plastics law


A coalition of environmental groups applauded New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy for signing what they called the strongest Skip the Stuff legislation (S3195/A5157) in the nation. This new law establishes, on a statewide basis, what over 60 NJ towns already do: providing single-use utensils and condiment packets only when a person wants them.

“We want to thank the prime sponsors in both the NJ Senate and Assembly for their leadership – Prime Senate sponsors Bob Smith and Raj Mukerji, as well as Assemblywoman Collazos-Gill, the group said in a news release. “Their leadership has secured a reduction in single-use plastics while providing financial savings to New Jerseyans.”

“Skip the Stuff is practical legislation that reduces waste and toxics while saving money,” said Marta Young, Zero Waste Specialist, Clean Water Action. “By passing Skip the Stuff, New Jersey is a national leader in reducing single-use plastic while respecting customer choice and supporting local businesses. Every fork and ketchup packet adds up. We thank New Jersey’s legislative champions and local advocates for understanding that small things cause big problems and for providing a great model for other states to follow.”  

“Going Green almost always saves ‘green,’ in this case, restaurants will save real dollars by not giving out so much waste, thus making this a prime example of how we can have a win-win for the environment and small businesses,” reported Brian Thompson, Monmouth Beach Environmental Commissioner.

“Skip the Stuff is common-sense legislation to reduce plastic waste and pollution and keep millions of kitchen junk drawers free of unneeded plastic utensils from home delivery. This law ensures that people get what they ask for and will reduce plastic litter and single-use plastics that can’t be recycled,” said Doug O’Malley, Director of Environment New Jersey. “Dozens of towns across New Jersey have already implemented this concept, and it’s been successful for both customers and businesses. We thank Gov. Murphy for signing this bill into law and the leadership of Sen. Bob Smith and Asw. Alixon Collazos-Gill for getting this bill passed on the last day of the legislative session.”

Key provisions of the law:

  • Effective on August 1, 2026.
  • Single-use cutlery and condiments are only provided when requested – only types and amounts expressly requested.
  • Applies to take-out and dine-in full-service restaurants with a seating capacity of 10 or more.
  • Applies to food service businesses regardless of whether the customer’s meal order is placed in person, by phone, online, or via other available methods. The default selection for online ordering must be “no utensils or condiments”.
  • A 180-day education campaign will be developed to educate people on the financial and environmental benefits of reducing single-use utensils and condiments.

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Coast Guard rescues three from sinking ship off New Jersey coast

The Coast Guard sprang into action after a boat began to sink in the Jersey Shore on Saturday

A Coast Guard Station Manasquan Inlet 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew and Air Station Atlantic City MH-65 Dolphin aircrew rescued three mariners after their 74-foot boat began to sink approximately 4 nautical miles northeast of Shark River Inlet. Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard

 
By Sam Barron, Jackson Daily Voice, 01/20/2026 8:49 a.m.

At 4 a.m., Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay command center watch standers received notification from Monmouth County Dispatch that a 74-foot pleasure craft was taking on water off Shark River Inlet with three mariners aboard, the U.S. Coast Guard said.

Command center watchstanders launched the Station Manasquan Inlet boat crew and Air Station Atlantic City helicopter crew to assist, authorities said.

The three mariners were rescued 4 nautical miles northeast of Shark River Inlet while their vessel was semi-submerged. They were transported to emergency services, authorities said.

The Coast Guard said pollution responders are working with partners to formulate a salvage plan for the vessel, authorities said.

The cause of the incident is under investigation, authorities said.

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NJ OKs Liberty State Park private marina over strong opposition

The following combines reports by NJ.com and the Hudson County View

The State House Commission on Thursday approved a 60‑year lease that lets a private marina operator build a massive boat-warehouse on Liberty State Park land — and saddles taxpayers with $30 million in bulkhead repairs.

Despite the heated objections of park preservationists, the State House Commission voted 5-2 to effectively extend its lease with Suntex Marina Investors until the year 2086, even though the current agreement wasn’t set to expire for another 21 years.

The deal also commits up to $30 million in taxpayer funds to replace the deteriorating bulkhead that shields those million-dollar yachts.

Opponents argue the lease amounts to a taxpayer-funded giveaway of public land in Liberty State Park.

LSP protector Sam Pesin

“It is an undemocratic, shameful sham for the DEP’s very unpopular and severely harmful new 60-year marina lease allowing a gargantuan boat storage warehouse to be on the agenda on Thursday, just five days before Gov. Sherrill takes over,” said Sam Pesin, president of the Friends of Liberty Park.

“This is the biggest betrayal of public lands in New Jersey history,” said former NJ Sierra Club Director Jeff Tittel. “The Statue of Liberty doesn’t say Give us your tired, your poor, and millionaires’ yachts.”

Boat storage building approved for construction at Liberty State Park

“It (Liberty State Park) doesn’t belong to the DEP. It belongs to history and the public,” argued state Senator Raj Mukherji

Sen Raj Mukherji

“I think Liberty State Park is not surplus land. It ought not be … a balance sheet item … There were no public hearings to consider this new design. The public should be heard, and it should be more than perfunctory,” Mukherji added.

“I want to echo my disappointment that this is not a true public meeting. It should be rescheduled,” newly seated Assemblywoman Katie Brennan, a Hudson County Democrat, said during her remarks.

The commission voted 5-2 to approve the proposal without any explanation, and the meeting abruptly concluded after about three-and-a-half hours.

Assad Akhter, Gov. Phil Murphy’s Deputy Chief of Staff on Legislative Affairs, and his designee, Deputy State Treasurer Aaron Binder, state Office of Management & Budget Acting Director Tariq Shabazz, state Senator Anthony Bucco and Assemblyman John DiMaio all voted in the affirmative.

State Senator Vin Gopal and Assemblywoman Eliana Pintor Marin voted no.

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Don’t take our word for it. Try it free for a whole month

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