Earlier today (June 30), the Supreme Court issued a decision in West Virginia v. EPA that curtails the agency's ability to limit emissions from the energy sector. Last week, the Business Network for Offshore Wind helped launch the new Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership and briefed the President, his Administration, members of the Cabinet, and 11 governors on the state of the U.S. offshore wind supply chain. State demand for offshore wind already surpasses 40 GW, exceeding federal goals of deploying 30 GW by 2030, which has attracted $12.7 billion in new investments in the U.S.
In response to today's ruling, John Begala, Vice President of Federal and State Policy at the Business Network for Offshore Wind, issued the following statement:
"Today's ruling is a step backward. The trajectory is clear - states, utilities, and consumers are demanding more renewable energy to create jobs and combat climate change. Offshore wind will play a critical role in this transition as a provider of clean, reliable, and affordable energy while creating 77,000 well-paying jobs for welders, technicians, factory workers, and ship captains.
A supply chain of domestic businesses supporting this industry is already emerging, attracting over $12 billion in investments in the U.S. market to rebuild our ports, build new manufacturing facilities, and construct nearly two dozen new vessels. It's a great start, but it is not enough. We need more focus on building a robust domestic supply chain capable of reaching our nation's ambitious offshore wind goals and to counter fierce global competition for offshore wind jobs and investments. In the wake of today's ruling, Congress should work to accelerate the development of offshore wind, and all renewable energy, to create well-paying jobs and keep the nation on a path to a cleaner energy future."
Additional Information:
- Supreme Court Decision on West Virginia v. EPA
- White House Fact Sheet on Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership
- Network Slide deck on Supply Chain Metrics
- Network Report: Advancing Policy Measures to Drive Development of the Domestic Offshore Supply Chain
The Business Network for Offshore Wind 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 Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), the leading offshore wind conference in North America, and the OSW Market Dashboard. Learn more at offshorewindus.org.
Media Contact: Sam Salustro | sam@offshorewindus.org | 414-405-4134
