The Biden administration approved plans to build the Atlantic Shores project in two phases in October, but construction has not begun. Oliver Metcalfe, head of wind research at BloombergNEF, said the partners are facing significant uncertainty about their lease, and other developers are watching what happens with Atlantic Shores closely. “We’re in uncertain territory here,” he added.
Offshore wind foes, who are particularly vocal and well-organized in New Jersey, celebrated Shell’s withdrawal. Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew, of New Jersey, helped the Trump team draft the executive order. He said Shell’s decision is a “big win” for New Jersey’s coastline and economy but “this fight is not over.”
Robin Shaffer, president of Protect Our Coast NJ, said that without Shell's financial backing, it appears the project is “dead in the water.”