Broad Coalition Applauds Biden Administration Offshore Wind Moves, Signaling United Support for Responsible Development

Bloomberg Energy Briefing – Diverse Coalition Supports Biden Offshore Wind Expansion Plans:
“A broad coalition of national nonprofits, labor unions, developers, and environmental justice organizations released a “unity statement” …praising the administration’s recent announcement to significantly expand offshore wind leasing and investment.”

WASHINGTON—Last week, a broad coalition of business, community, environmental, and labor groups issued the following statement in response to the Biden Administration’s announcement of new leasing, funding, and development goals to accelerate and deploy offshore wind energy and jobs.

“As renewable energy developers, workers of all stripes, front-line community members, and environmental advocates, we applaud President Biden’s early, bold commitments to advance 30 gigawatts (GW) of responsible offshore wind development by 2030. The Administration-wide approach to jumpstart American offshore wind power—including tangible next steps on leasing, permitting, port investments, loan guarantees, research funding, and more—offers a solid game plan for confronting the climate crisis and ensuring we Build Back Better.

“We face unprecedented and intersecting environmental, public health, and economic crises that exacerbate racial and social injustices—presenting an existential threat to our communities, our nation, and our world. Offshore wind is uniquely positioned to help address these challenges. The Administration’s sweeping, whole-government approach outlined this week signals the urgency, seriousness, and determination that is needed to face these threats head on.

“We are united in our belief that done right, offshore wind power will create thousands of quality, family-sustaining jobs in manufacturing, construction, operations, and maintenance, and in the development of port facilities and associated infrastructure. We agree that offshore wind power can and must be developed in a manner that protects coastal and marine ecosystems and advances social and racial equity and environmental justice.

“Together, we stand ready to work with the Biden Administration to help fulfill today’s offshore wind commitments with a comprehensive, responsible approach to scaling up this critical new energy source for America.”

Signed By:

Acadia Center, Deborah Donovan
Aker Offshore Wind, Jonah Margulis
Alliance for Affordable Energy, Jessica Hendricks
All Our Energy, George Povall
Alliance for Clean Energy New York, Anne Reynolds
Anbaric, Janice Fuller
Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Robert A. DiGiovanni, Jr.
Atlantic Offshore Terminals LLC, Boone Davis
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, Jennifer Daniels
Avangrid Renewables, Bill White
BlueGreen Alliance, Jason Walsh
Brightline Defense, Eddie Ahn
Bristol Community College, Jennifer Menard
Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner, LLP, J Kevin Healy
Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties, Matty Arachic
Business Network for Offshore Wind, Liz Burdock
Capital Region Chamber, Mark Eagan
Center for Economic Growth, Katie Newcombe
Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Adrienne Esposito
Climate Jobs NY, Jeff Vockrodt
Climate Reality Chautauqua Chapter, Lisa Mertz
Climate Reality Finger Lakes Greater Region NY Chapter, Thomas Hirasuna
Climate Reality Peconic Region Chapter, Cate Rogers
Concerned Citizens of Montauk, Laura Tooman
Connecticut Audubon Society, Patrick Comins
Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, Lori Brown
Conservation Law Foundation, Sean Mahoney
Delaware Interfaith Power & Light, John Sykes
Defenders of Wildlife, Jim Lyons
Drive Electric Long Island Coalition, Marjaneh Issapour
E2 (Environmental Entrepreneurs), Sandra Purohit
EnBW, Damian Bednarz
Environmental Defense Fund, Elizabeth Gore
Environmental League of MA, Elizabeth Turnbull Henry
Equinor Wind US, Anders Hangeland
Foley Hoag LLP, Noah Shaw
Green Energy Consumers Alliance, Kai Salem
Grow Smart Rhode Island, Scott Millar
Gulf of Maine Sustainability Alliance, Dave Wilby
Gulf States Renewable Energy Industry Association, Stephen Wright
Jersey Renews Coalition, Berenice Tompkins
League of Conservation Voters, Sara Chieffo
Long Island Association, Kevin Law
Long Island Contractor’s Association (LICA), Marc Herbst
Long Island Federation of Labor, Roger Clayman
Magellan Wind, Jim Lanard
Mainstream Renewable Power, Paula Major
Maryland League of Conservation Voters, Kim Coble
Massachusetts AFL-CIO, Chrissy Lynch
Mayflower Wind, Michael Brown
Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition, Bruce Burcat
Mothers Out Front, Susan Helms Daley
Nassau Hiking & Outdoor Club, Guy Jacob
National Audubon Society, Garry George
National Grid, Badar Khan
National Wildlife Federation, Catherine Bowes
Natural Resources Defense Council, Nathanael Greene
New England for Offshore Wind, Susannah Hatch
New Jersey Audubon, Drew Tompkins
New Jersey League of Conservation Voters, Ed Potosnak
New Jersey Organizing Project, Amanda Devecka-Rinear
NJ Work Environment Council, Debra Coyle McFadden
New York League of Conservation Voters, Julie Tighe
New York Offshore Wind Alliance, Joe Martens
NY4WHALES, William Rossiter
Ocean Conservancy, Anne Merwin
OCEANA, Diane Hoskins
Offshore Wind California, Adam Stern
Orsted North America, Inc., Fred Zalcman
OW Ocean Winds, Enrique Alvarez-Uria
Port of Albany, New York, Richard J. Hendrick
ProsperityForRI.com, Greg Gerritt
Reel Therapy Charters, Capt. Paul Eidman
Regional Planning Association, Robert Freudenberg
RENEW Northeast, Francis Pullaro
Renewable Energy and Sustainability Center (RESC) at Farmingdale State College, Professor Marjaneh Issapour
Renewable Energy Long Island, Gordian Raacke
RWE, Dominik Schwegmann
Rise Light & Power, Clint Plummer
SAFE (Salem Alliance for the Environment), Patricia Gozemba
Save the Sound, Charles J. Rothenberger
Second Nature, Tim Carter
Seed Kit, Ana Mallozzi
Sierra Club, Bill Corcoran
Sisters of St. Joseph, Sister Karen Burke, CSJ, EdD
South Shore Audubon Society, Brien Weiner
Southeastern Wind Coalition, Katharine Kollins
Southern Environmental Law Center, David Carr
Special Initiative on Offshore Wind, Univ. of Delaware, Kris Ohleth
Students for Climate Action, Harrison Bench
Suffolk CLimate Reality Chapter, Melissa Griffiths
The Alliance for Business Leadership, Jen Benson
The Climate Actors, Tim Guinee
The Climate Reality Westchester Chapter, Janet Harckham
The Hudson Valley & Catskills Climate Reality Chapter, Tim Guinee
The Nature Conservancy, Stu Gruskin
UMass Lowell, Mary Usovicz
Union of Concerned Scientists, John Rogers
Univeristy of Delaware, College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, Dean Estella Akweseh Atekwana
US Wind, Jeffrey Grybowski
Vineyard Wind, Rachel Pachter
Virginia League of Conservation Voters, Michael Town
WE ACT for Environmental Justice, Peggy Shepard
Western New York Climate Reality Chapter, Lynn Saxton
Windstar, Chris Niezrecki
Wildlife Conservation Society, John Calvelli
WinWithWind, Jeremiah Mulligan
350 Cape Cod, Sheila Place
350 Mass, Carolyn Barthel
350 New Orleans, Andy Kowalczyk

“Last week the Biden Administration signaled its strong commitment for offshore wind energy and more than one hundred organizations representing a broad and diverse spectrum of developers, labor unions, frontline environmental justice groups, research organizations and environmental non-profits reacted in unison to the responsible development of offshore wind.  This is a once in a generation opportunity to create a new American clean energy industry and now, with this signal from Washington, offshore wind can play a major role in addressing the climate crisis, rebuilding the economy and providing thousands of family-sustaining jobs,” said Joe Martens, Director of the NY Offshore Wind Alliance and former Commissioner of the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.

“America’s promising wind industry has long had the technological know-how to deliver significant amounts of emission-free power to consumers and businesses. With the bold targets the Biden Administration announced today, the industry now has the wind at its back. This broad coalition recognizes this much-needed dose of political will enables the US to usher in a new era of clean, affordable and sustainable energy that will help hold the line on climate change while creating nearly 80,000 well-paying jobs. This is exactly what we need, and not a moment too soon,” said Francis Pullaro, Executive Director of RENEW Northeast, a Connecticut-based nonprofit that unites clean energy companies and environmentalists in pursuit of expanding renewable energy in New England.

“The Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition applauds the Biden Administration’s pairing of bold vision with concrete action to scale-up offshore wind. Between the new 30 gigawatt by 2030 goal, the long-anticipated New York Bight lease area designation and the start of an environmental impact assessment for the 1.1 gigawatt Ocean Wind project off New Jersey, we’re looking at a massive boost to job creation and investment in the Mid-Atlantic region. This is how you go big on infrastructure, economic stimulus and climate all at once,” said Bruce Burcat, Executive Director · Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Coalition and former Executive Director of the Delaware Public Service Commission from 1995 to 2010.