Offshore wind will move America off its dependence on fossil fuels, say 352 New York and New Jersey elected officials

To hold back the devastating impacts of the climate crisis, improve health outcomes and become energy independent from fossil fuels, plans are underway to harness electricity from offshore wind. In the process of reaching the federal government’s goal of 30 gigawatts (GW) of electric energy powered by U.S. offshore wind by 2030 — 83,000 new American offshore wind union jobs will be created. The ripple effect in the economy will add thousands more additional jobs.

On March 27, Elected Officials to Protect America held their Virtual Offshore Wind Summit for New Jersey and New York. EOPA brought together federal, state, and local elected officials with state agency officials, community stakeholders, and industry representatives to speak about the progress of offshore wind clean energy development in their respective states.

“The extreme weather of this past year has been an eye opener for countless communities across America to the existential climate crisis we are living in. Job-creating solutions that benefit our communities and protect our coasts, as offshore wind has immense potential to do, are key to keeping greenhouse gasses in check as we transition off of climate-damaging fossil fuels,” said Dominic Frongillo, Elected Officials to Protect America Executive Director and Co-Founderm and Summit moderator. “We’re at the vanguard of a new clean, renewable energy industry. Offshore wind has the potential to be the biggest lever that we can pull to reduce our emissions, address the climate crisis, meet our energy needs, and grow our economy simultaneously. It is key to a prosperous healthy future. We are honored to bring together esteemed leaders to speak about offshore wind’s potential at our Summit.”

Elected Officials to Protect America have letters signed by current and former elected officials to show their support for responsible, inclusive, equitable offshore wind development. The EOPA New Jersey letter was signed by 177 lawmakers from across the state. In EOPA New York 175 elected officials have signed.

Led by representatives of frontline communities, the EOPA virtual Summit provided informational panel sessions on how responsible offshore wind energy development will benefit New York and New Jersey, after keynote speeches. The speakers highlighted state and local policy solutions for offshore wind investments, leasing, manufacturing, workforce development projects, supply chains, labor laws, and environmental reviews, dispelling myths propagated by the fossil fuel industry.

Coastal load centers have the highest energy demand as roughly 80 percent of Americans live within 200 miles of the coast. Offshore wind can generate significant amounts of electricity close to these consumers.

New York State has awarded $300 million for two supply chains to develop and manufacture the equipment for the offshore wind projects in the Capital Region, which will then be shipped down the Hudson River. The Port of Albany is being transformed to meet those demands. It is where General Electric’s new wind towers will be shipped from. The GE manufacturing facility is in Schenectady.

“As a veteran of the US Army Reserve and a civil engineer, I was deeply honored to address the EOPA Offshore Wind Virtual Summit, where we gathered to discuss the critical importance of renewable energy for our future,” said keynote speaker Angelo Santabarbara, New York State Assemblyman. “Growing up in Schenectady, New York, I witnessed firsthand the transformative power of renewable energy in revitalizing communities, such as the GE Vernova production facility, which brought back 200 jobs to our city. Wind energy, both on land and at sea, is a vital component of our transition towards sustainability, offering clean, abundant power while mitigating climate change. New York’s commitment to developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind power for 6 million homes by 2035 demonstrates our dedication to harnessing wind energy’s potential for job creation and economic growth. And, as we progress, we must ensure environmental protection and community engagement are a priority. Together, let us embrace wind energy’s promise, ensuring a cleaner, greener future for generations to come.”

To achieve a carbon-free power grid by 2040, New York State’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) law mandates that at least 70 percent of New York’s electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2030 and calls for the development of 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.

All across New York state and New Jersey manufacturing and supply chains for offshore wind are under development. Governor Murphy established New Jersey’s offshore wind capacity goal at 11,000 MW by 2040, giving the state a clear path to meet New Jersey’s mandate to generate half the state’s electricity from renewable sources.

“I’m proud to be part of a bipartisan group of elected officials and civic leaders fighting the climate crisis and driving an agenda to support a growing clean energy economy. As a New Jersey lawmaker, I know firsthand that we have a critical once-in-a-generation opportunity for our region to propel forward by becoming a national leader in offshore wind development. These initiatives create countless employment opportunities, including thousands of good paying union jobs,” said keynote speaker Carol Murphy, New Jersey Assemblywoman. “The synergy of economic benefits in New Jersey and enhancing our path toward achieving renewable energy goals is a future I proudly embrace. The time is now, and offshore wind power is the solution—let’s get to work and save our planet.”

Assemblymember Carol Murphy went on to say, “Offshore wind will be the biggest union job creator in America’s energy sector . . . The buildout of offshore wind is about collective action, shared responsibility, and our commitment to environmental justice. It represents the clean energy future we’re leaving for generations to come.”

Panel 1 — Job Creation and Economic Opportunities:

“This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity for us we can’t miss. Our wind port is already in development in Salem County. The area used to farm oysters’ and asparagus but the environment no longer sustained these industries. The port will create half a million in economic development annually once completed,” said Caren Fitzpatrick, Former Atlantic County Commissioner, EOPA New Jersey Leadership Council. “Here in Atlantic City, developers have agreed to give residents priority in hiring technicians, which can be annual salaries of about $70k. In a town where the median income is $24k, that’s a game changer for a lot of families and the City itself.”

Rick Dovey, former President, Atlantic County Utilities Commission, spoke about how twenty years ago the first land-based wind tower was erected in Atlantic City. He said the turbines survived and thrived during Hurricane Harvey, while the other generating facilities were done for days. “We have the location that makes offshore wind ideal. The area has been economically deprived for years. We import most of our energy from dirty energy sources. This is our opportunity,” said Dovey.

Captain Paul Eidman, Anglers for Offshore Wind Advocate is an angler and owns a fishing charter boat business said he has taken tours to the 2006 Block Island, Rhode Island offshore wind development site to fish. The turbines provide an artificial reef and have brought in new species, creating a new industry. “When developed responsibly offshore wind can co-exist with fishing jobs, and can be beneficial to both,” said Eidman.

Importantly, Eidman spoke about how the US Bureau Of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) takes years of engineering to choose where the proposed offshore wind lease sites will be. “There is a real method to this madness that needs to be appreciated,” said Eidman.

Eidman gave the example that in New York an offshore wind company’s goal was to build 100 turbines but after listening to stakeholders, including fisheries that were worried about their squid catch, BOEM concluded 54 wind turbines are all they could approve.

Debra Coyle, Co-Chair, Jersey Renews referred to a report that came out in 2021 that said more jobs will be created from clean energy than lost in fossil fuels. Those fossil fuel workers could also be retrained to work on turbines or other areas, as supply chain and manufacturing will be spread throughout the state. “Paulsboro has already brought back jobs to the area. This is the clean energy revolution,” said Coyle.

Panel 2 — Offshore Wind Benefits:

The South Fork, 132 megawatt offshore wind farm off of East Hampton, Long Island powered up on March 14.

“The buildout has shown us that it is possible to work closely with the industry and community to address concerns. The town had to supply easements for the project. That process took time and determination. It was imperative for our town to replace the gas fired polluting energy system we had. Now, the South Fork offshore wind farm, 35 miles the shore of Montauk, will power enough energy to take the equivalent of 60,000 cars off the road for twenty years,” said Cate Rogers, Deputy Supervisor, Town of East Hampton, Long Island. “The development will generate enough clean energy to the grid that will power 70,000 homes here in East Hampton, giving us hope and a healthy future.”

Rev. Ronald Tuff, Chief Organizer, Greenfaith spoke about how his organization is working to create the bridges needed to help environmental justice areas secure green jobs. “We held listening sessions, in churches, to identify the job opportunities and the barriers, like the lack of transportation, and daycare to ensure obstacles would be addressed,” said Rev. Tuff.

Mark Magyar, Director, Steve Sweeney Center for Public Policy, Rowan University energy commented that energy independence from fossil fuels is vital for the future.

Panel 3 — Offshore Wind Policy Action:

“NJEDA is investing resources to ensure that the arrival of offshore wind creates jobs and opportunities for New Jerseysans in addition to generating clean, sustainable energy. We’ve taken a whole of government approach. We have a clear timetable for the development community and public,” said Dan Fatton, Offshore Wind Sector Director, of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA). “We’re also actively partnering with New York and other states on offshore wind.”

NJEDA has opportunities for offshore wind developers, established manufacturers, or suppliers and small businesses interested in joining the offshore wind supply chain.

Fatton said offshore wind is important to meet the state’s clean energy goals and is part of the clean energy mix that will help power electric vehicles and the electrification of buildings. “We won’t get there without offshore wind,” Fatton said.

Paulina O’Connor, Executive Director, New Jersey Offshore Wind Alliance complemented how New Jersey is a good partner backing offshore wind development and how the Biden Administration has been aggressive on offshore wind with permitting and investing in innovation in the industry, especially with the Inflation Reduction Act expanding eligibility to some of its programs.

While offshore wind is new to the United States, the technology has been refined for more than three decades in northern Europe. The evidence shows that offshore wind can be developed in ways that protect wildlife, fishing families, and provide sustainable energy for future generations.

Elected Officials to Protect America is a network of current and former elected officials who care deeply about protecting the planet and people. EOPA is committed to solving the climate crisis, ensuring environmental justice, and protecting our lands, waters, and democracy. EOPA educates through value-based storytelling, training lawmakers, and connecting elected officials to inspire strong environmental leadership.