The Department of the Interior (DOI) approved a second major offshore wind project in U.S. Federal Waters on Wednesday, aiding in various green energy projects both locally and federally.
The new project, called South Fork Wind, will include a dozen wind turbines 19 miles off the coast of Block Island, Long Island, a press release from the DOI said. The site will go towards powering the East Hampton community and will not be visible from its beaches, according to the South Fork Wind website. Construction is set to begin in January 2022.
“We have no time to waste in cultivating and investing in a clean energy economy that can sustain us for generations,” said Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, according to the press release. “Just one year ago, there were no large-scale offshore wind projects approved in the federal waters of the United States. Today there are two, with several more on the horizon. This is one of many actions we are taking in pursuit of the President’s goal to open the doors of economic opportunity to more Americans.”
On. Nov. 18, the DOI celebrated the groundbreaking of Vineyard Wind 1, the first commercial offshore wind project in federal waters. It is the first of many wind projects that will contribute to the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of 30 GW of offshore wind energy, as well as Massachusetts’ goal of 5.6 GW, by 2030, the press release said.
“Achieving the 30 GW goal can result in the creation of tens of thousands of good-paying union jobs across the country, as America moves to ramp up domestic supply chains for all aspects of offshore renewable energy development,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Land and Mineral Management Laura Daniel-Davis, according to the release. “Today’s announcement, coupled with critical investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help us meet our goals for sustainable economies, clean energy, and climate resilience.”
The South Wind Fork Project will create 340 jobs and provide enough clean energy to power 70,000 homes once complete, according to the website.
