Six wind energy lease areas off the coasts of New York and New Jersey will be sold at a wind auction in February.
The Department of the Interior and the governors of both states announced Jan. 12 that the event, which will offer the most offshore wind leases ever at a single auction, will take place Feb. 23, according to a NYSERDA news release.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy coordinated with Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to host the auction, which will include approximately 448,000 acres in the New York Bight, the release stated.
“The Biden-Harris administration has made tackling the climate crisis a centerpiece of our agenda, and offshore wind opportunities like the New York Bight present a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fight climate change and create good-paying, union jobs in the United States,” Haaland said in the release. “We are at an inflection point for domestic offshore wind energy development. We must seize this moment - and we must do it together.”
Murphy noted that wind presents an opportunity for the future, from enhancing the work force and job creation to economic growth.
“New Jersey is already committed to creating nearly one-quarter of the nation's offshore wind-generation market and these transformative projects are proof that climate action can drive investments in infrastructure and manufacturing, while creating good-paying, union jobs,” Murphy said in the release. “By acting on this shared vision, we can promote our joint offshore wind goals, and deliver benefits to residents of both states, particularly those in overburdened communities.”
According to the New York governor's website, Hochul has set out an ambitious plan for offshore wind, including an economic impact of more than $12 billion with the production of more than 4.3 gigawatts of energy, enough to power more than 1.5 million homes, and the creation of more than 6,800 jobs tied to the industry.
“Here in New York, we are already living with the effects of climate change through extreme weather that pose a direct threat to our way of life,” Hochul said in the release. “We must chart an ambitious path toward a cleaner energy economy now more than ever, and today's milestone further highlights New York's commitment to reaching its offshore wind goals.”
Hochul’s plan would include an investment of up to $500 million in offshore wind infrastructure, including manufacturing, ports and supply chain upgrades to boost offshore wind capabilities. The plan also calls for involving the private sector, which could result in $2 billion in economic activity and more than 2,000 green jobs.
Hochul's plan also calls for a study to identify potential offshore wind cable corridors, as well as the creation of an offshore wind transmission network, which could map out the future for tapping into offshore wind power, according to the New York governor's website.
