NJ Senate candidate took offshore wind consulting job, then called for moratorium
A Monmouth County Republican who is running for state Senate faced criticism this week after a news story in Politico scrutinized the fact that he had performed work for a company that sought to build transmission lines in support of New Jersey's offshore wind industry, then called for a moratorium on offshore wind construction.
Stephen Dnistrian of Colts Neck — who is running for office against incumbent Sen. Vin Gopal, D-Monmouth, in the 11th Legislative District — called for a state moratorium on offshore wind farm construction just months after his consulting work with the power transmission company LS Power Grid ended.
Dnistrian — who owns a branding, communications and consulting company — said he performed work for LS Power Grid between January and November of 2022. He told the Asbury Park Press that months later he decided to run for office in the 11th Legislative District, which includes Asbury Park, Freehold, Long Branch and Red Bank, among other Monmouth County municipalities. During his campaign, he called for a moratorium on offshore wind farm construction until the deaths of marine mammals like whales and dolphins along New Jersey's coast are thoroughly investigated.
Deaths of 13 whales have been reported along beaches here since Dec. 1, 2022. Marine mammal experts performed necropsies on the whales that were not too severely decomposed, saying ship strikes appear to be responsible or contributed to about half of the deaths. Results on the other deaths are still pending.
Last month, a Monmouth University poll found support for offshore wind plunging across New Jersey, and especially at the Jersey Shore, at the same time that politicians were fiercely debating whether preconstruction activity for offshore wind was harming ocean life.
There is no scientific evidence that offshore wind surveys of the ocean floor kill whales, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries division.
However, some experts say that loud underwater noise could harm or frighten marine animals, depending on the species, their hearing abilities, and the pitch and proximity of the sound.
Sound the alarm? Excessive ocean noise can hurt whales. Here's how.
Dnistrian said there are still too many unanswered questions about the impacts of offshore wind, not just in regards to how it could affect marine life, but in terms of future costs for electricity customers. The candidate said he supported "exploring all forms of green and alternative energy," but wanted those questions answered first.
"People across New Jersey… are very concerned about what’s happening to our ocean," he said in an email. "Public support for offshore wind is decreasing… People want to know what this multi-billion dollar undertaking is going to cost us when it shows up on our monthly electric bills."
However, his opponent Gopal called Dnistrian's stance on offshore wind after performing work for the industry "hypocritical double dealing."
"Clearly, he will say and do anything to get elected," Gopal said in the statement. "I don’t care what political party you belong to. Monmouth County deserves better than that."
Dnistrian responded: "Gopal brushes aside public concerns about the ocean, doesn’t answer the question about cost and instead spends his time attacking those who challenge him… They (members of the public) just want answers, not insults."
Polls will be open on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Wind farms and whales: How dead whales became the symbol of a political battle in NJ and elsewhere
Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 15 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ Senate candidate's history with offshore wind work draws criticism
