New Report: A Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy/Part 2

"The Turning Point for Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy includes detailed reports on each Atlantic Coast state. Among the highlights of the report:

• Offshore wind energy will be an economic powerhouse for America. Harnessing the 52 gigawatts of already-identified available Atlantic offshore wind energy – just 4 percent of the estimated generation potential of this massive resource – could generate $200 billion in economic activity, create 300,000 jobs, and sustain power for about 14 million homes. (Europe already produces enough energy from offshore wind right now to power 4 million homes.)
• America is closer than ever to bringing offshore wind energy ashore. Efforts are underway in 10 Atlantic Coast states, with over 2,000 square nautical miles of federal waters already designated for wind energy development off of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Environmental reviews finding no significant impacts have been completed, and leases are expected to be issued for some of these areas by the end of the year.
• Despite this progress, leadership is urgently needed at both the state and federal level to ensure offshore wind energy becomes a reality in America:
  • President Obama should set a clear national goal for offshore wind energy development, and each Atlantic state governor should also a set goal for offshore wind development off their shores. These goals must be supported by policies that prioritize offshore wind energy and other efforts to secure buyers for this new source of reliable, clean energy.
  • Congress needs to step up and provide much-needed tax incentives - such as the Investment Tax Credit, Production Tax Credit, and Advanced Energy Project Credit – to advance this new job-creating industry.
  • Federal regulators must continue to move forward with an efficient, environmentally-responsible permitting process for offshore wind projects that grants leases to developers by the end of 2012. Leases must include strong safeguards for coastal and marine wildlife.
  • Offshore wind energy can and must be developed in a wildlife-friendly manner. Not only do scientific studies show that properly locating turbines and requiring best management practices can minimize impacts on birds, bats, sea turtles and marine mammals, but transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy benefits all wildlife from cleaner air and water and cutting the carbon pollution that causes climate change. 

“Offshore wind energy can generate explosive job growth, from design to shipping to construction,” saidYvette Pena Lopes, deputy director of the BlueGreen Alliance. “Congress needs to set aside partisan bickering and send a clear signal that America is committed to clean energy by passing the Investment Tax Credit for offshore wind.”

“Developing this renewable, sustainable energy will make America’s energy supply more secure and we have the Navy’s assurance that properly-placed turbines can go hand-in-hand with Virginia Beach’s military bases,” said Mayor William D. Sessoms, Jr. (R-Virginia Beach). “Offshore wind energy can preserve the traditions that have made Virginia’s coastal communities special while strengthening our economy, energy security, and environment for future generations.”

“Up and down the Atlantic Coast, the building blocks are being put in place to usher in a bright future for offshore wind,” said Rob Sargent, Environment America’s energy program director. “But harnessing this vast yet-to-be-tapped resource requires a strong and ongoing commitment. There is broad public support for shifting to pollution-free renewable energy. Local, state and federal officials, including Congress, need to step up and link arms to make the promise of offshore wind a reality.”