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Governor Phil Murphy

ICYMI: WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
Praise for President Biden’s Strategy to Boost Offshore Wind Energy, Cut Costs, and Create Jobs

06/23/2022

Today at the White House, President Biden joined Governors and senior officials from 11 East Coast states, along with leaders from labor unions and the offshore wind industry, to launch a new Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership. At the event, the President discussed how America is seizing offshore wind opportunities to create good-paying jobs, deliver clean and cheaper energy to American families, and tackle the climate crisis.
 
Participants praised President Biden’s leadership on jumpstarting the American offshore wind industry, including his bold goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030 to power 10 million homes with clean energy and support 77,000 new jobs. Since then, the Biden Administration has approved the first large-scale offshore wind projects, established new wind energy areas, and held record-breaking wind auctions.
 
At today’s event, the Business Network for Offshore Wind shared data on how these actions have unleashed historic private sector investments to manufacture more offshore wind components in America, including the foundations, towers, cables, and blades of offshore wind turbines. Through the new Partnership, the Administration will strengthen collaboration with states to continue expanding this domestic supply chain, while maximizing cost-saving and job-creating benefits to American workers and communities.  
 
Here’s what participants from today’s meeting are saying about the new partnership:
 
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy
 
“I am honored to join my peers in the nation’s capital as we work together to secure energy independence, stimulate economic growth, and generate well-paying union jobs for a diverse workforce. As we build upon ongoing collaborations and forge new partnerships, it’s clear that we are united with our neighbors not just by geography, but by a shared commitment to clean and affordable energy, economic opportunity, and a future in which all community members are shielded from the worsening impacts of climate change. Our status as a critical supply chain hub and home of the first purpose-built offshore wind marshalling port in the U.S. uniquely positions us to cultivate the burgeoning domestic clean energy industry as we strive to achieve our greenhouse gas reduction goals, upon which the future of our state – and our region – depends.”
 
New York Governor Kathy Hochul
 
“Combatting the threat of climate change requires partnership and collaboration, and I applaud President Biden and his Administration for their continued efforts to bring together diverse stakeholders to ensure we advance offshore wind projects and develop key elements of the supply chain to support our growing green economy.  New York is committed to establishing a robust offshore wind industry and supply chain that benefits projects along the East Coast and beyond. Expanding our efforts regionally will bring family-sustaining jobs and cleaner air to the areas that need it most while allowing our states to meet our shared climate and offshore wind goals.”
 
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper
 
“North Carolina is leading the way to a clean energy future, and collaboration between federal and state governments is helping us get there even sooner. This innovative partnership will create more offshore wind opportunities, bring good-paying jobs and help protect our planet for generations to come.”
 
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee
 
“As home to the nation’s first offshore wind farm, Rhode Island is a pioneer in the blue economy. Rhode Island is on a path to reducing climate emissions to net-zero by 2050 and a 100% renewable energy standard by 2033 -- harnessing the power of offshore wind is part of our pathway to achieving those targets. I thank President Biden and his Administration and my fellow Governors along the East Coast for joining together in this partnership to meet the needs of the economy of today and the future.”
 
Maine Governor Janet Mills
 
“Offshore wind presents significant economic and environmental benefits for Maine, from creating thousands of new jobs to ushering in a clean, renewable source of energy that can reduce electricity costs and our dependence on imported fossil fuels. I am glad to see the White House recognize the crucial role that states play to responsibly advance offshore wind as a strategy for growing our economy, fighting climate change, and achieving energy independence. Maine is a leader in floating offshore wind innovation and has important fishing, environmental, recreational, business, and other interests that need to be represented in this discussion. My Administration will ensure these voices are recognized as part of this partnership.”
 
Connecticut Governor Led Lamont
 
“When I took office 3 ½ years ago, I was determined to foster the growth of the offshore wind industry in Connecticut. And we’ve made great progress in a short amount of time. We’ve invested in our port infrastructure; we’ve invested in programs to train the manufacturing workforce to construct, assemble, and install the component parts; and we’ve contracted to procure 1 GW of offshore wind energy. But there is much more work to be done and that is why I’m so pleased to join with my fellow East Coast Governors and the Biden-Harris Administration to accelerate progress achieving our shared clean energy goals and the economic benefits of a new home-grown domestic industry that supports good-paying domestic jobs that can’t be exported. I commend President Biden and his team for convening this partnership and I look forward to working with the federal government and my fellow Governors.”
 
Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf
 
“Clean energy is essential for the future of our nation and our world. A challenge on the scale of climate change requires collective action, and that’s exactly why partnerships like this one are so important. Pennsylvania is in the perfect position to support offshore wind development up and down the east coast, furthering our entire region’s transition to clean energy while at the same time boosting the local and regional economy. By working together, we will help chart a path to a better, cleaner future.”
 
Delaware Governor John Carney
 
“Last year, Delaware launched a roadmap showing how our state can prepare for climate change in the decades ahead by reducing carbon emissions and focusing on resilience. It’s important we have strong federal leadership and interstate partnerships to help us mitigate our climate challenges. That’s why we are excited to be part of the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership. Thank you to President Biden and Vice President Harris for convening this important discussion.”
 
Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker
 
“Providing clean and affordable energy is a shared responsibility, and we are pleased to work with other East Coast governors and the federal government to further our growing offshore wind industry,” said Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker. “With the country’s first federally-approved commercial-scale offshore wind farm under construction in Massachusetts, the Commonwealth continues to be a national leader in this industry and we look forward to a path for future projects that will create more jobs, investments and infrastructure up and down the East Coast.”
 
AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler
 
"The federal-state partnership on offshore wind announced today will help move the offshore wind industry into overdrive. President Biden's leadership is showing that we can create good union jobs as we make the investments we need to address the climate crisis."
 
CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind Liz Burdock
 
“This federal-state offshore partnership is a critical step towards unlocking supply chain growth and helping the industry scale to keep pace with demand, and will generate new opportunities for the thousands of small businesses that will form the backbone of the U.S. offshore wind industry. The Biden-Harris Administration’s 30 GW goal, strong leadership from Governors, and more than $12 billion in new investments is creating a once-in-a-generation opportunity for American businesses. Along our coasts, the supply chain is coming to life with new manufacturing facilities, ports being rebuilt, and shipbuilding activity. Offshore wind contracts have more than doubled in the past 18 months and U.S. companies large and small are signing up from 46 states to participate in the offshore wind supply chain. With global demand growing exponentially, we need to accelerate this progress to reach our clean energy goals. The Network is proud to partner with the federal government on developing an offshore wind supply chain roadmap and work with our state partners to help build a robust, local supply chain.”
 
Lars Pedersen, CEO, Vineyard Offshore
 
“We thank the Biden Administration and the participating States for spearheading this important initiative and look forward to working with them in the years to come. The offshore wind industry has the potential to revolutionize the US energy sector, providing millions of homes with clean and affordable power and creating thousands of good paying, union jobs, but that potential won’t be realized if we don’t have the industry and governments at every level pulling in the same direction and working for the same goal. As part of the joint venture that is currently building the Vineyard Wind 1 project, we are already working with suppliers in 12 states, showcasing the potential for domestic job creation across the US as more projects progress."