Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind opens educational and community outreach center in Atlantic City
Last week, Atlantic
Shores Offshore Wind (Atlantic Shores) hosted Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small, Sr.,
President Joseph Fiordaliso and Commissioner Upendra Chivukula of the New
Jersey Board of Public Utilities, and other local stakeholders, at a ribbon
cutting to signify the opening of a new Educational and Community Outreach
(ECO) Center.
The facility on Stockton
University’s campus in Atlantic City will serve as Atlantic Shores’ primary
location to host informational events for the community. Atlantic Shores plans
to partner with Stockton University to make the ECO Center available to local
school groups or as a resource center for university students.
“We anticipate to listen
and meet with stakeholders at this location, because we know it’s important for
the Atlantic City community to have access to us right where they live,” said
Jennifer Daniels, Development Director at Atlantic Shores.
The Educational and
Community Outreach Center features two conference rooms that can be used to
host community meetings, and an additional open concept space for larger events
and public presentations. The ECO Center will function primarily as a dynamic
public exhibition space and multi-purpose community room to host local
stakeholders and communicate Atlantic Shores’ priorities and goals through
exhibits, photos and interactive models. In addition to being an exhibit and
conference facility, the ECO Center will also provide several “hoteling”
offices with computers, printers and office support, a small, more intimate
conference area for Atlantic Shores employees.
Brian Jackson, Chief
Operating Officer at Stockton University, said, “This new center will be a
place where our students and faculty can engage in research and internship
opportunities, and will also create an opportunity for our local community to
gain employment. People are going to want to come to this space to learn about
offshore wind.”
In addition to Mayor
Small and leaders from the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, attendees at
the ribbon cutting included Michael Chait, President of Atlantic City Chamber
of Commerce, and Max Slusher, Director of Business Development for Atlantic
County Economic Alliance.
New Jersey Board of
Public Utilities President Joseph Fiordaliso, said, “Thank you to Atlantic
Shores and Stockton University for their work ensuring the green economy is
here to stay in New Jersey. We have to educate people, and ensure the fact that
everyone is involved in the clean energy revolution here in the state of New
Jersey.”
This summer, Atlantic
Shores completed its geophysical and geotechnical ocean surveying, including
the mapping of potential export cable routes that would bring its generated
electricity on land. The developer is currently exploring wind conditions
within its lease area and will conduct additional environmental studies this
summer and fall.
