Washington, DC -Today, Congressman Van Drew issued the following statement in response to Shell's announcement that it is withdrawing from the Atlantic Shores offshore wind project off South Jersey's coast, resulting in a write-off of nearly $1 billion.

"First Orsted pulled out of these projects, and now Shell is following suit," said Congressman Van Drew. "They are beginning to realize what we have been saying all along: these projects are not a practical or viable solution for our energy needs. The promises made by the offshore wind industry were always too good to be true, and even the New Jersey Ratepayer Advocate has acknowledged that these projects would have driven our energy rates even higher than they already are. While this is a big win for New Jersey's coastline and our local economy, this fight is not over. I have worked with President Trump to issue an executive order that lays the foundation for a long-term solution that permanently protects our shores from these costly and dangerous projects. I will continue to stand against offshore wind projects off South Jersey's coast until they are gone for good."