Legislation to Advance Floating Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine Will Boost Local Economy
Jul 13 2023
WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2023 鈥� The 欧美情色片 Association (欧美情色片) and RENEW Northeast (RENEW) praised the efforts of Governor Mills, Senator Lawrence, and legislative leaders to craft an agreement on legislation that will foster development of innovative offshore wind facilities. The amended bill, which has been approved and funded by the Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee, now heads to the Maine Senate for final enactment will grow Maine jobs, bring online cost-competitive clean energy, and help lower emissions according to goals set by Maine鈥檚 Climate Action Plan.
鈥淭he passage of this legislation will ensure Maine is well positioned to lead on offshore wind, creating jobs and investment on the coast and inland,鈥� said Moira Cyphers, 欧美情色片鈥檚 Eastern Region State Affairs Director. 鈥淭he construction, installation, and maintenance of future projects will require a skilled workforce of local mariners and technicians, and the electricity generated can be sold to nearby communities, providing a local source of renewable energy.鈥�
Governor Janet Mills and her administration鈥檚 work on the have positioned Maine to become a global leader in offshore wind technology. Innovative offshore turbine technology will enable projects to be sited in areas that are less visible from shore and reduce impacts on marine life and lobster fishing.
鈥淭his bill sends a powerful signal to developers of offshore wind to invest in Maine. It will both enable Maine鈥檚 existing wind energy supply chain to compete and create new opportunities for high-quality jobs from this growing industry while capitalizing on opportunities to develop Maine鈥檚 port infrastructure,鈥� said Francis Pullaro, Executive Director of RENEW.
鈥淕overnor Mills deserves considerable credit for helping to jump start this industry 鈥� for many years there has been talk of its potential, but through her steady leadership Maine is now poised to directly benefit from offshore wind for years to come,鈥� explained Pullaro.
Maine鈥檚 energy, economic, and environmental priorities would be directly supported by new offshore wind lease areas with an offshore wind target of 3 gigawatts driving future industry investment. Building the U.S. offshore wind project pipeline will also revitalize port communities and enhance critical port infrastructure.
鈥淪upporters behind this legislation recognize that offshore wind is a promising technology that can play a critical role in meeting our energy needs while reducing our carbon footprint,鈥� Cyphers said.
About RENEW
RENEW Northeast () unites environmental advocates with developers and operators of the region鈥檚 largest clean energy projects to coordinate their ideas and resources with the goal of increasing environmentally sustainable power generation in New England from the region鈥檚 abundant renewable energy resources.