Offshore wind power bill headed to Legislature votes - Press Herald

Offshore wind power bill headed to Legislature votes

State legislation expanding offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine has received a committee endorsement and is expected to be voted on soon in the House and Senate.

The bill sponsored by Sen. Mark Lawrence, D-York, sets up a schedule for the state to procure 3 gigawatts of electricity from offshore wind turbines by 2040, an amount that could power nearly 900,000 homes.

The bill, which received approval Wednesday from the Committee on Appropriations and Financial Affairs, also has protections for workers and the fishing industry, two groups that have expressed concerns about how wind-power development might affect them.

“To combat climate change and invest in Maine’s energy independence, our state has set ambitious but necessary goals for renewable energy. This effort will involve offshore wind energy projects. If we know this is coming, we need to have guardrails in place to make sure this is done right and truly benefits Mainers,” Lawrence said in a press release Thursday.

As amended, the bill represents a compromise among legislators, Gov. Janet Mills, and organized labor. In the wake of Mills vetoing organized labor’s bid to solidify unions’ place in offshore building projects last month, the bill would set aside half of all jobs created by new energy sources for union workers.

The bill’s supporters see offshore wind power as a vital tool for meeting Maine’s climate and clean energy objectives. They say that the project will protect coastal communities and ecosystems by reducing state dependency on non-renewable energy and its adverse environmental effects.

“[The bill’s] procurement targets for offshore wind are critical for meeting Maine’s climate and energy goals while helping to stabilize energy costs, create high-quality j0bs, and ensure development is responsible and equitable,” said Steve Clemmer, director of energy research in the Union of Concerned Scientists Climate and Energy Program, in testimony.

But the bid to harness wind power in the Gulf of Maine could damage vital ecosystems on which the fishing and lobstering industries depend.

“With 20,000 individuals employed aboard Maine’s fishing vessels or directly in the seafood supply chain, the productive and fragile waters of the Gulf of Maine should not be used as a testing ground for new offshore wind technology or to site large industrial wind farms,” said Maine Lobstermen’s Association President Kristan Porter.

In contrast, some lobstering industry members are satisfied with the language in the bill seeking to protect Lobster Management Area 1, a key swath of the lobstering grounds. The amended bill dictates that any offshore wind development would happen outside of this designated area.

This story will be updated.

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