New York Offshore Wind Alliance Highlights Energy, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind in Commenting on PSC's Draft GEIS
New York Offshore Wind Alliance Highlights Energy, Environmental and Economic Benefits of Offshore Wind in Commenting on PSC’s Draft GEIS
ALBANY, NY – The New York Offshore Wind Alliance has submitted comments on the Draft Generic Environmental Impact Statement for the Procurement of Offshore Wind that highlight the many energy, environmental and economic benefits of developing offshore wind off the coast of New York State (PSC Case 18-E-0071).
In the comments filed Monday with the Public Service Commission, the Alliance said developing 2,400 MW of offshore wind energy will:
- Help New York meet the Clean Energy Standards goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030;
- Create 5,000 new jobs in manufacturing, installation and operation of offshore wind facilities;
- Generate $6 billion in economic activity for New York State;
- Avoid a costly repowering of existing, aging, polluting power plants on Long Island;
- Significantly increase the diversity of energy sources in the downstate region;
- Promote environmental justice by improving air quality and public health – lowering public health care costs – as offshore wind displaces some pollution heavy downstate electricity production; and,
- Avoid, minimize or mitigate any potential adverse environmental impacts, based on the significant measures included in the Draft GEIS.
New York State Offshore Wind Alliance Director Joe Martens said: “The Alliance applauds the State’s efforts – though the Draft GEIS and the New York Offshore Wind Master Plan – to explore all facets of offshore wind development so that it can move forward in New York responsibly, at the lowest cost, with the least negative environmental impact, and with the potential for huge positive economic benefits.”
“It will be difficult if not impossible for New York to achieve 50 percent renewable electric generation by 2030 without at least 2,400 MW of offshore wind by that date,” Martens said. “The draft environmental impact statement makes a strong case for offshore wind but it can be strengthened and expanded even further.
“Thanks to Governor Cuomo’s leadership on offshore wind, New York is moving to become a national leader on offshore wind. It is essential that New York play that leadership role if we want to attract the ancillary economic benefits that come from offshore wind – such as building a port facility for offshore wind construction and maintenance and all the jobs that come with it – and not lose out to other states on the Eastern seaboard,” Martens said.
A copy of the full New York Offshore Wind Alliance Draft GEIS comments can be found here.
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About the New York Offshore Wind Alliance
The New York Offshore Wind Alliance (NYOWA) is a diverse coalition of nearly 30 organizations with a shared interest in promoting the responsible development of offshore wind power for New York. A project of the Alliance for Clean Energy New York (ACE NY), NYOWA has a particular focus on Governor Cuomo's goal of creating 2,400 MW of offshore wind power by 2030.
For more information see: www.aceny.org/NYOWA
Click here for New York Offshore Wind Alliance Blog.
Members of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance
Alliance for Clean Energy New York
AWS Truepower
Bryan Cave
Citizens Campaign for the Environment
Deepwater Wind
E2
EDP Renewables
Environment America
Environment New York
Environmental Advocates of New York
Long Island Association
Natural Resources Defense Council
National Wildlife Federation
New York New Jersey Women of Wind Energy
New York City District Council of Carpenters
New York State Building & Construction Trades Council
New York State Laborers’ Organizing Fund
Orsted (formerly Dong Energy)
Renewable Energy Long Island
Riverkeeper
Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy
Sierra Club
Statoil
Suffolk County Community College
The Nature Conservancy
The Northeast Regional Council of Carpenters
University of Delaware Special Initiative on Offshore Wind
UPROSE