Support for offshore wind development in New Jersey has dropped dramatically in recent years as projects near construction, according to polling released Monday.

Just over half of residents — around 54 percent — approve of offshore wind farm construction, according to the Monmouth University survey, a decrease from 76 percent in 2019 and 84 percent in 2011.

“There was a time when wind energy was not really a political issue. It consistently received widespread bipartisan support for more than a decade,” Monmouth University Polling Institute director Patrick Murray said. “That is no longer the case.”

Wind development opponents have pointed to potential negative impacts on Jersey Shore tourism and the local sealife as reasons to go against the projects. In the poll, 40 percent of respondents said it would likely hurt tourism and 45 percent said the projects are possibly or definitely responsible for a rise in whale beachings in the state.