b'4American Journal of Transportation ajot.comNew Jersey prepares for its wind portSome legal arrangements were finalized over the summer, while the issue of dredging still overhangs the projectBy Peter Buxbaum, AJOTThe groundbreaking on the Newcommunityoutreachefforts,help-JerseyWindPortonSeptember9,ing local workers prepare for the job 2021cameafteraflurryofotheropportunitiestheprojectwillcreate activity preparing for that event overand guiding local businesses through the summer.theprocesstoreceivecontractsfor In August,theboardoftheNewwork on the port, noted Tim Sulli-Jersey Economic Development Agencyvan, the authoritys CEO.(NJEDA) approved a ground lease withProjects on the drawing boards for Public Service Enterprisetheportincludesnearby Group (PSEG), the energydredging, which is due to companythatownsthebegin in the second quarter artificialislandintheof 2022, as well as resolv-U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh and New Jersey Governor Phil MurphyDelawareRiverwhereingthecomplications the port will be sited, forthatoftenaccompany thepurposeofbuildingthatactivity.NJEDAhas New Jersey wind port havingandoperatingthewindproposed to place dredge ripple effects on regional economy port.Theleaseisforamaterialintoa109-acre 28-yearinitialtermandconfineddisposalfacil-September groundbreaking marked shift from project planning78-yearmaximumterm,ity (CDF), an area that is to construction coveringsevenparcelssubject of a land exchange totaling 122 acres, at anbetweentheU.S.Army By Peter Buxbaum, AJOT averageannualrentofTim Sullivan, NJEDA CEO CorpsofEngineersand $3.1 million. That lease was signed byPSEG.Inordertomakethathappen, The New Jersey Wind Port is noeventually also manufacturing, activi- the parties on September 14, 2021. noted Sullivan, NJEDA and PSEG will longer merely on the drawing boards.ties related to offshore wind projects,Also in August, the board approvedneedtoexecuteadredgeplacement Activity related to its construction has17 of which are planned off the Easta construction manager contract withagreementbythetimeNJEDAtakes beguninearnest.OnSeptember9,Coast of the United States from Mas- AECOMTishman,acompanyalsopossession of the leased parcels. NewJerseyGovernorPhilMurphysachusetts to Virginia.involvedintheconstructionofOneIf an agreement is not in place and U.S. Department of Labor Secre- ThatisonereasontheSalemWorldTradeCenterandtheJacobby the time the authority draws down tary Marty Walsh ceremonially brokeCountysitewaschosen,notedTimJavits Convention Center in New Yorkparcels it will be unable to terminate ground on the Salem County facility,Sullivan,NJEDAschiefexecutiveCity, among others, after that companythe lease for those parcels on the basis which is slated as a marshaling portofficer, adding that it has easy accesswasawardedthecontractamonthofnothavingadredgeplacement for the U.S. offshore wind industry.tomorethan50%oftheavailableearlier. Also approved was the initialagreement in place, Sullivan added. The New Jersey Economic Devel- East Coast offshore wind lease areas. budget for the first phase of precon- Inthatevent,theauthoritywould opmentAgency(NJEDA)saysthatstruction activities, which include thehave to identify a different location to the states $300 million investment innJ W inDP orTc onsTrucTion To removal of subsurface concrete fromplace dredge material.the wind port will create thousands ofs TArT inD eceMber the port site, and budget increases forTheNewJerseyBoardofPublic assembly,operations,andconstruc- The New Jersey Wind Port is beingfinancial,commercial,andtechnicalUtilities and the New Jersey Department tionjobs.Theportwillprovideadeveloped on an artificial island on theadvisory services. ofTransportationhaveearmarkeda location for staging and assembly, and(RIPPLEcontinued on page 8) NJEDA has also been involved in(PREPAREScontinued on page 7)portofalbany.us | 518.463.8763Dockside heavy lift railAmple Open storage360,000 sf of sprinklered storageServed by CSX and CP RailroadsLess than 1 mile to I-90 & I-87On-site customsRORO rampOpen and active year-round Tony Vasil Bill RingMaritime Business Development Manager General ManagerAlbany Port District Commission Federal Marine Terminals732.841.8827 [email protected] [email protected]'