Legislation to Advance Floating Offshore Wind in Gulf of Maine Will Boost Local Economy

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 13, 2023 – The American Clean Power Association (ACP) 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’s Climate Action Plan.

“The passage of this legislation will ensure Maine is well positioned to lead on offshore wind, creating jobs and investment on the coast and inland,” said Moira Cyphers, ACP’s Eastern Region State Affairs Director. “The 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.”

Governor Janet Mills and her administration’s work on the Maine Offshore Wind Roadmap 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.

“This bill sends a powerful signal to developers of offshore wind to invest in Maine. It will both enable Maine’s 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’s port infrastructure,” said Francis Pullaro, Executive Director of RENEW.

“Governor Mills deserves considerable credit for helping to jump start this industry – 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,” explained Pullaro.

Maine’s 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.

“Supporters 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,” Cyphers said.

About RENEW

RENEW Northeast (www.renewne.org) unites environmental advocates with developers and operators of the region’s 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’s abundant renewable energy resources.