Contact:
Fred Zalcman, Director, New York Offshore Wind Alliance, 475- 204-4762 (Mobile)
Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director, Citizens Campaign for the Environment 631-384-1378
Mariah Dignan, Regional Director, Climate Jobs NY 646-708-5474
Julie Tighe, Executive Director, NYLCV 518-330-4812
Long Island - Climate Jobs NY, New York League of Conservation Voters, Long Island Association, Long Island Federation of Labor, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the New York Offshore Wind Alliance, the Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties and Sierra Club applaud Governor Hochul and the Biden Administration’s prioritization of offshore wind development off New York’s shores. This Final Sale Notice brings us one significant step closer to transitioning away from fossil fuels, fighting climate change and creating tens of thousands of good union jobs.
On December 16, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) completed its environmental review of the nearly 800,000-acre wind energy areas (WEAs) in the NY Bight and issued a finding of no significant impact. This is a key marker in creating a sustainable, thorough, and predictable permitting process to advance the offshore wind industry. Development in the areas included in this Final Sale Notice encompass six additional lease areas providing the potential to generate over 5.6-7 gigawatts of clean wind energy, enough to power over 4 million homes. Today’s announcement includes:
6 new wind energy lease areas – the most new lease areas created by BOEM at one time.
Stipulations concerning project labor agreements (PLAs) - leaseholder will be required to make every reasonable effort to enter into PLA covering construction scope
New incentives for use of domestic supply chain – lessees given a credit off rental fee for domestic assembly or manufacturing of major project components which encourages locally sourced materials and jobs.
Stipulations concerning enhanced/early engagement with interested and affected stakeholders
John R. Durso, President of the Long Island Federation of Labor said, “The Final Sale Notice for the New York Bight demonstrates that President Biden is determined to fight climate change while bringing a new industry to Long Island with jobs that provide good wages and benefits. Opening new lease areas for offshore wind development will create the opportunities for a new generation of workers to gain careers that will help our region build strong, resilient communities.”
“BOEM’s Final Sale Notice for the New York Bight is a major milestone in the development of a domestic U.S. offshore wind industry”, said Fred Zalcman, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance. “The Biden Administration’s unwavering commitment to the development of this new, clean and abundant renewable resource will pay significant dividends by spurring new investments in area ports and harbors, manufacturing capacity, and the next generation of skilled workers.”
“With today's Final Sale Notice on these six new lease areas in the New York Bight, the Biden Administration signaled the historic opportunity we have to create thousands of good union jobs in offshore wind, with a Project Labor Agreement requirement for construction of new wind farms,” said Mariah Dignan, Regional Director for Climate Jobs NY. “This crucial stipulation will propel working families forward for generations to come while taking an important step forward for the offshore wind industry, which can be an anchor of our energy future here on Long Island and throughout New York.”
“Climate related disasters in 2021 cost us $145 billion dollars in recovery needs. Tornados, hurricanes, droughts, fires and heat waves are devasting to our economy and communities. We cannot afford to delay our nation’s battel against the climate crises. Fortunately, the answer is blowing in the wind. We are delighted that the Administration is prioritizing the development of offshore wind. Our future depends on it,” said Adrienne Esposito, Executive Director of Citizens Campaign for the Environment.
“From the Build Back Better Act to advancing clean energy projects, President Biden's administration is clearly prioritizing climate action,” said Julie Tighe, President of the New York League of Conservation Voters. “Today’s announcement by BOEM of new lease areas for auction in the New York bight will accomplish critical goals in tandem: generate enough clean energy to power more than two million homes, cut our reliance of fossil fuels, and create good-paying union jobs. Offshore wind will continue to play a crucial role as we strive to fight climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and green our grid, and we thank BOEM Administrator Amanda Lefton for her leadership on offshore wind development."
“The production of offshore wind energy in the New York Bight will mean more than just clean power; it means hope and new opportunities. The impact of BOEM’s actions coupled with developing the region’s Offshore Wind market will certainly change our environment and economy for the better. Reducing our dependency on fossil fuels is crucial and reaching that goal is a key element in ensuring the earth is on a path to heal itself for the next generation.
Apprenticeship Training Programs are ready to capitalize on these initiatives and provide new careers for a generation of workers who want and deserve to be part of the middle class,” said Matthew Aracich, President of Building and Construction Trades Council of Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
"The announcement of up to 7GW of new lease areas for new offshore wind development is a victory for New York families, workers, and the climate," said Allison Considine, Senior Campaign Representative for the Sierra Club. "This marks a major milestone in achieving New York’s goal of 9GW of offshore wind by 2035, and President Biden’s goal of 30GW by 2030. Today’s Final Sale Notice demonstrates that New York’s goal of achieving 100% fossil-fuel-free electricity is not only feasible, it is breaking ground on new opportunities that will revitalize our economy and create a national leadership hub for responsible offshore wind development."
Matt Cohen, President & CEO of the Long Island Association, said, “It is a key priority of the Long Island Association to make our region the offshore wind capital of the country, and with today’s announcement from the Biden Administration it is clear we will be a national leader in clean energy, with the support of Governor Hochul. The LIA will work to ensure that Long Island realizes the job creation and supply chain benefits of our clean energy economy.”
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