New York Takes Major Step Forward on Offshore Wind

NWF, Environmental groups praise Governor Cuomo for restarting process to bring clean energy ashore

New York’s leading environmental organizations and the National Wildlife Federation applauded Governor Cuomo today for taking action to restart the process for pursuing offshore wind energy.

Today, a lease application was submitted for the Long Island – New York City Offshore Wind Project  – a collaborative effort by New York Power Authority, Long Island Power Authority, and Con Edison to build an offshore wind farm 13 miles off the Rockaway Peninsula.  The move is a victory for clean energy development that will be critical to slowing the pace of global warming. Wind power is also a potential job engine that can boost sagging economies.

New York has substantial offshore wind resources, and it is time that New Yorkers reap the economic and environmental benefits of locally produced clean energy.  Offshore wind projects must be sited in a manner that is protective of our coastal and marine resources, and our organizations look forward to working with all the partners involved to ensure that this and other offshore wind projects receive sufficient environmental review.

“New Yorkers should be proud today – the state has taken an important step forward in creating more jobs and clean energy with offshore wind,” said Catherine Bowes, Senior Energy Policy Representative at National Wildlife Federation. “NWF is working to advance appropriately-sited offshore wind projects up and down the Atlantic coast, and we are excited that New York has joined its neighbors in pursuing this critical clean energy source sitting right off our shores.”

Up and down the Atlantic coast, states and offshore wind developers are making significant progress in advancing offshore projects, according to a 2010 NWF report.

The report found up to six gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind projects have been proposed along the Atlantic coast – the equivalent of about five coal-fired power plants and enough to power about 1.5 million average U.S. homes. Based on government analysis, the Atlantic Ocean has significant offshore wind potential, with over 212 GW of wind resources in shallow waters where current technology is best suited.

View the joint press release at the link here: FINAL joint LI-NYC project release 9 15 11