OFFSHORE WIND

"Nearly two-thirds of Connecticut voters support building offshore wind energy with strong labor standards." - IMPACT Research

Let’s get offshore wind development right by standing together with one voice to demand good union jobs, transparency, and equity. Our state leaders must hold developers accountable to their promises so our workers can benefit from good union jobs with thriving wages and benefits.

Climate Jobs RI, Climate Jobs MA, and the Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs worked with their state coalition affiliates to craft joint demands and agreed to send those demands to the developers in advance. On March 1, labor coalitions delivered the letter to the four developers (Orsted, Avangrid, CIP/Vineyard Offshore, and SouthCoast Wind/EDP/Shell) likely to bid on this procurement asking them to commit to the strong labor and equity standards. The letter was signed by AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, and all three state AFL-CIO presidents and Building Trades presidents.

Support Equitable Offshore Wind Development In Connecticut, Massachusetts, & Rhode Island.​

As Connecticut builds its offshore wind energy, input from workers, ratepayers, and voters is necessary to ensure a clean energy economy that works for all. Sign the petition to support equitable offshore wind in New England today. 

Download and share the letter to learn more.

Landmark Legislation For Offshore Wind Development In CT

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Sign First-Time Agreement for Multi-State Offshore Wind Procurement.

2023-Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Sign First-Time Agreement for Multi-State Offshore Wind Procurement.

This Agreement Creates a Pathway for a Potential Multistate Procurement for Offshore Wind – The First of Its Kind in the United States. View official press release.

Following DEEP’s initial offshore wind RFP in 2023, the Connecticut Roundtable On Climate and Jobs joined with CT’s Building Trades Unions, Acadia Center, and other allies in a successful campaign to pressure the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to commit to fair and accountable offshore wind development.

In 2024, the CRCJ continues to partner with environmental and labor allies to ensure offshore wind developers prioritize communities and workers during the bidding process. Download and share the list of demands to developers and sign the public petition in support of equitable offshore wind in CT, MA, and RI.

Offshore Wind

OFFSHORE WIND TIMELINE

AVANGRID CANCELS PARK CITY WIND OFFSHORE WIND CONTRACTS

2023– Avangrid moves to cancel Park City offshore wind contracts on heels of SouthCoast termination. Learn more.

CONNECTICUT, MASS, AND RHODE ISLAND SIGN MULTI-STATE OFFSHORE WIND PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT

2023 –  Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Sign First-Time Agreement for Multi-State Offshore Wind Procurement. View press release.

CONNECTICUT RELEASES RFP FOR OFFSHORE WIND AND OTHER ZERO CARBON ENERGY RESOURCES

2023 – CT DEEP Releases Solicitations for Offshore Wind and Other Zero Carbon Energy Resources to Advance Energy Affordability, Reliability, and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions. View press release.

APPLIED ECONOMICS CLINIC RELEASES POLICY BRIEF ON ECONOMIC IMPACT OF OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT IN CT

2023 – Researchers prepared a policy brief that assesses the economic impacts associated with installing and operating 2,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind resources in Connecticut to meet the State’s 2030 target.

CT OFFSHORE WIND AWARDED $500,000 IN FUNDING

2021 – Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Offshore Wind Proposal Awarded $500,000 in Round One Funding From U.S. Economic Development Administration.

IMPACT RESEARCH CONDUCTS CT VOTERS OFFSHORE WIND POLL

2023IMPACT Research Report Finds nearly two-thirds of Connecticut Voters Support Offshore Wind Energy with Strong Labor Standards. 

DEEP RELEASES DRAFT RFP FOR OFFSHORE WIND DEVELOPMENT IN CT

2023 – Department of Energy & Environmental Protection releases Draft RFP for offshore wind development and opens public comment section until August 8th, 2023.

CONNECTICUT ROUNDTABLE ON CLIMATE AND JOBS HOSTS OFFSHORE WIND FORUM

2023 – The Connecticut Roundtable on Climate and Jobs hosts a public Offshore Wind Forum to discuss the Draft RFP and submit written public comments to DEEP.

BLOCK ISLAND OFFSHORE WIND FARM - RHODE ISLAND

2016 – The Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island made offshore wind a reality in the Northeast in 2016.

CT WINS FIRST OFFSHORE WIND CONTRACT - NEW LONDON

2018 – CT DEEP awards contracts for the state’s first 300 MW of offshore wind energy, with operations based in New London.

CT GOV LAMONT SIGNS OFFSHORE WIND LEGISLATION

2019 – This legislation commits to 2000 MW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and institutes robust labor and environmental protections.

CT WINS SECOND OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY CONTRACT - BRIDGEPORT

2019 – CT DEEP selected an 804 MW project based in Bridgeport, greatly expanding the economic impact of this emerging industry. This is CT’s largest-ever renewable energy purchase.

MAKE AN IMPACT

Help ensure we have the resources to win more legislative victories

PUBLIC ACT 19-71

An Act Concerning the Procurement of Energy Derived From Offshore Wind

1.

Mandates solicitations of 2000 MW of new offshore wind energy by 2030, with a solicitation to be initiated within 14 days of enactment

2.

Requires developers to pay prevailing wages, negotiate project labor agreements and include plans for using skilled labor and approved apprenticeship programs (while NY included similar provisions in its initial request for proposals, this is the first time they have been codified in statute)

3.

Requires developers to provide “environmental and fisheries mitigation plans” that include science-based best management practices that will “avoid, minimize and mitigate any impacts to wildlife, natural resources, ecosystems and traditional or existing water-dependent uses, including, but not limited to, commercial fishing”

4.

Requires CT DEEP to establish an advisory task force to provide recommendations for incorporating those environmental concerns in the request for proposals.

BIG PICTURE

A Growing Regional Industry

We will continue to work with the building trades unions and other allies to ensure that offshore wind development brings jobs and economic opportunities to CT's workers and communities.

News Article: “New offshore wind award is largest renewable project ever for CT” (CTMirror, December 2019)

CRCJ Op-Ed: “Will Lamont lead or stay out of the way on offshore wind?” (CTMirror, February 2019)

News Article: “State Pier’s future — wind or no wind?” (TheDay, April 2019)

News Article: “News Article: State House bets big on offshore wind” (TheDay, May 2019)

News Article: “Lawmakers eye 2,000-megawatt offshore wind power buy” (TheDay, February 2019)

News Article: “Offshore wind backers push New London area as potential hub” (The Day, March 2018)

News Article: “Offshore Wind Facility Planned for State Pier in New London” (NBCConnecticut, May 2019)

Comment: on draft RFP, endorsed by 30+ groups (Jan 2018)

News Article: “Connecticut unions, environmentalists want more wind power” (New Haven Register, Sep 2017)

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