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.
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.
2023– Avangrid moves to cancel Park City offshore wind contracts on heels of SouthCoast termination. Learn more.
2023 – Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island Sign First-Time Agreement for Multi-State Offshore Wind Procurement. View press release.
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.
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.
2021 – Governor Lamont Announces Connecticut Offshore Wind Proposal Awarded $500,000 in Round One Funding From U.S. Economic Development Administration.
2023 – IMPACT Research Report Finds nearly two-thirds of Connecticut Voters Support Offshore Wind Energy with Strong Labor Standards.
2023 – Department of Energy & Environmental Protection releases Draft RFP for offshore wind development and opens public comment section until August 8th, 2023.
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.
2016 – The Block Island Wind Farm in Rhode Island made offshore wind a reality in the Northeast in 2016.
2018 – CT DEEP awards contracts for the state’s first 300 MW of offshore wind energy, with operations based in New London.
2019 – This legislation commits to 2000 MW of offshore wind energy by 2030 and institutes robust labor and environmental protections.
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.
Mandates solicitations of 2000 MW of new offshore wind energy by 2030, with a solicitation to be initiated within 14 days of enactment
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)
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”
Requires CT DEEP to establish an advisory task force to provide recommendations for incorporating those environmental concerns in the request for proposals.
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.
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: “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: “Ørsted leaders pledge to uphold commitment to New London” (The Day, Oct 2018)
Roundtable’s Comment: on draft Comprehensive Energy Strategy (Sep 2017)
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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