The Oceantic Network joins NOIA, ACPA, and others in letter to Congressional Leadership
For Immediate Release: March 31, 2022
Media Contact: Melinda Skea | [email protected] | 202-709-9793
BALTIMORE – The Oceantic Network delivered a letter to House and Senate leaders late yesterday as part of a coalition led by the National Ocean Industries Association (NOIA). The letter requests both chambers to repeal the 10-year moratorium on offshore wind leading off the coasts of the Carolinas, Florida, and Georgia, which was established in a 2020 executive order and set to go into effect this July.
The letter, which urges leaders to agree to the House’s language repealing the 10-year moratorium in the final, conferenced version of the Senate’s The United States Innovation and Competition Act of 2022 (USICA) and the House’s America COMPETES Act of 2022, was cosigned by the American Clean Power Association (ACPA), the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), the Southeastern Wind Coalition, and The U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The wide range of interests represented by the groups demonstrates the diverse benefits of offshore wind development in the region, including economic benefits, job creation, and a reliable, clean source of energy.
Over the past year, BOEM’s actions to create a reliable and transparent permitting and leasing system have helped spur major supply chain investments. The Oceantic Network found that $2.2 billion was invested into U.S. factories, ports, and suppliers in 2021 including nine new facilities that will manufacture and assemble the foundations, towers, blades, and cables of an offshore wind farm. Interest in becoming supply chain members also grew substantially as entries in the Network’s Supply Chain Connect database grew 61 percent, a growth rate four times the previous year’s growth. Allowing a 10-year moratorium on offshore wind leasing off the coasts of North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Georgia would put those states at a severe disadvantage as this fast-growing industry continues to grow along U.S. coasts.
The following statement can be attributed to John Begala, VP of State & Federal Policy at the Oceantic Network:
“From electricians to engineers, and mariners to manufacturers, the offshore wind industry is poised to create tens of thousands of well-paying jobs and domestic supply chains that will benefit businesses across the country. The Biden Administration has taken tremendous strides towards establishing offshore wind as a sustainable industry; now, Congress has the opportunity to repeal an order that hinders an entire region of the U.S. from participating in the economic development, climate resilience, and energy savings offered by offshore wind.”
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Network, contact Melinda Skea at [email protected] or 202-709-9793.
The Oceantic Network is the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to building a robust offshore wind supply chain and expanding adoption of offshore wind energy. It advances the industry through collaboration, education, and innovation, including the International Partnering Forum (IPF), the leading offshore wind conference in North America, and the OSW Market Dashboard. Learn more at offshorewindus.org.
