RISE LIGHT & POWER

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COMMITTED TO THE ENVIRONMENT, COMMUNITY & CLEAN ENERGY​

Environmental Justice

Rise recognizes that energy has played a major role in environmental injustice for decades, especially in disadvantaged communities. We feel there is a better way. 

New Jersey has one of the nation’s most comprehensive environmental justice laws. We share the state’s commitment to uphold the principles of environmental justice and will take steps necessary to protect the environment and the health and economic well-being of people who live in overburdened communities within the boundaries of the Outerbridge project. We welcome the opportunity to work closely with those communities to promote understanding of the project and to provide services that might be necessary to mitigate any inconvenience.

Impacts of the Outerbridge Project on overburdened communities are expected to be minimal and temporary. Unlike projects that would dig up local roads, the project will follow an existing railroad right of way to limit impact on traffic.

Project benefits

Bringing clean energy to 1.4 million homes

New Jersey has some of the nation’s leading offshore wind goals to help tackle the challenges of climate change. The Outerbridge Renewable Connector will enable the state to reach its goals and provide clean energy to 1.4 million homes — without the controversy and delay that come when wind power projects use the traditional method of burying cables under beaches.

Protecting beaches and environment

New Jersey’s beaches are a precious resource. They are places of recreation and renewal that define New Jersey. They must be protected. The Outerbridge Renewable Connector is located in a unique, industrial-zoned location — a former coal-fired power station in South Amboy — that avoids recreational beaches, residential communities, and wildlife management areas. Rise is committed to extensive, ongoing communication with residents, local officials, labor, business and environmental advocates to seek input during development of the project.

SOURCE OF
$1 BILLION IN ECONOMIC GROWTH

The Outerbridge Renewable Connector project will create over $1 billion in economic value to the state, including nearly $88 million in tax revenue for state and local governments. Rise Light & Power is also committed to fund and implement programs to build the local economy and support workforce development.

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Rise Light & Power has a proud history of supporting the communities that host its projects and will be a good neighbor and partner to towns within the area of the Outerbridge Renewable Connector project. The company will make support available for community projects and organizations and work with the public and elected officials to meet local needs.

Jobs, Skills & Training

Construction of the Outerbridge Renewable Connector will create good-paying, local, union jobs. And Rise will invest in workforce development programs that will help local residents break into the construction industry and play key roles in building the Outerbridge project. Rise is also focused on recruiting minority, women, and veteran-owned companies to participate as sub-contractors on the project. 

Rise Light & Power will bring to New Jersey a strong track record of working closely with communities to make sure residents benefit from the company’s initiatives. Rise supports a wide range of education and skills-training initiatives, including programming and career development opportunities for STEM students and partnerships with local institutions. Our commitments to local community partnerships and advancing renewable energy and transitioning to a green economy are fundamental to the Outerbridge project. These will take the form of investments in local neighboring communities as well as in engagement with the local labor force.

Training programs will provide residents with skills for offshore wind energy industry

Rise Light & Power is committed to enhancing the local economy and workforce by partnering with the JINGOLI Competitive Edge Program to train Middlesex County’s workforce. The two programs — Leaders in Training and Train-to-Hire — will provide highly marketable skills and training to support construction of the company’s Outerbridge Renewable Connector project.

If the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approves Rise’s plan to bring offshore wind power cables ashore at the site of a former coal-fired power plant, JINGOLI will launch its training program designed to reinvest in the local economy while providing residents with valuable skills for the emerging clean energy industry.

Learn more about the JINGOLI training programs here.

Historic partnership to develop cable manufacturing facility will create hundreds of good-paying local jobs

As part of its Outerbridge Renewable Connector project, Rise Light & Power has partnered with Delaware River Partners LLC (DRP) to develop a site for a submarine cable manufacturing facility at Repauno Port & Rail Terminal in Greenwich Township. The facility will strengthen New Jersey’s position as a manufacturing hub for the emerging offshore wind industry while creating good-paying local jobs and a national supply chain solution.

If the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approves the Outerbridge project, Rise and DRP will continue development and permitting work to make the Repauno site shovel-ready to attract an offshore cable manufacturer who would construct and operate the facility. The factory will position New Jersey as a critical link in the offshore wind supply chain and will support the growth of the offshore wind industry.

Learn more about the Repauno manufacturing facility here.

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