Virginia Joins Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium

From the Office of Governor Bob McDonnell

RICHMOND- Governor Bob McDonnell signed onto a Memorandum of Understanding with U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, and nine east coast governors, to establish the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium.  Through this consortium, Governor McDonnell will encourage the environmentally-responsible development of wind energy, and other sources of renewable energy, off Virginia’s coast.  In addition, it was announced earlier today by the Department of the Interior that a regional renewable energy office will be located in Virginia.

Speaking about the agreement, Governor McDonnell commented, “It’s no secret that we need to develop more domestic energy. It’s a matter of national and economic security and it will create much needed jobs and opportunities for Virginians.  I have long advocated an “all of the above” approach to our energy needs. It’s imperative that we develop all of our domestic energy sources including wind, solar, biomass, nuclear, coal, oil and natural gas.  Today is a major step forward in the effort to make Virginia a national and global leader in offshore wind production. Our deepwater port, relatively shallow offshore waters, and offshore wind speeds give us the ability to move quickly to harness wind energy and bring it to market. Moving forward with offshore wind energy production gives us yet another opportunity to further position Virginia as “The Energy Capital of the East Coast.” By signing this Memorandum of Understanding with my fellow east coast governors and Secretary Salazar, we have indicated a mutual desire for federal-state cooperation on wind energy that will lead to greater production, and more jobs, not just in Virginia but all along the east coast.”

Governor McDonnell continued, “In another testament to Virginia’s pro-energy, pro-business climate, the Secretary has chosen to locate a new regional renewable energy office in the Commonwealth.  This office will facilitate the cooperation of the consortium to develop wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy off the east coast.  Virginia is also working with Secretary Salazar on a Federal-State-Local task force to advise the Minerals Management Service (MMS) on offshore wind leasing which will support new business activity and jobs in the Commonwealth.”

Secretary Salazar noted, “I am very pleased to be joining with the governors of Atlantic coastal states to promote the safe and environmentally responsible development of the exceptional wind energy resources off our coasts.  Appropriate development of Outer Continental Shelf wind power will enhance regional and national energy security and create American jobs through the development of energy markets and investments in renewable energy technologies.”

“Renewable energy resources hold great economic promise,” Salazar said.  “By one estimate, if our nation fully pursues its potential for wind energy on land and offshore, wind can generate as much as 20 percent of our electricity by 2030 and create a quarter-million jobs in the process,” concluded the Secretary.

Information on the Consortium from the Department of the Interior:

Several wind energy projects for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf have been proposed for East Coast states, positioning the region to tap into the enormous potential of wind power in the U.S.  Developing this resource could create thousands of manufacturing, construction and operations jobs and displace older, inefficient fossil-fueled generating plants, helping significantly to combat climate change.

Salazar announced during a February 19, 2010, meeting with governors and representatives of Atlantic coast states that he was forming a consortium to discuss a regional approach to wind energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf.  All Atlantic coast states were invited to join.  The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by Secretary Salazar and the governors of Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

Together, the department and the Atlantic governors will use this agreement to facilitate federal-state cooperation for commercial wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf off of the Atlantic coast through collaborative efforts on issues of mutual interest.  Under the Memorandum of Understanding, the consortium will develop an action plan that sets forth priorities, goals, specific recommendations and steps for achieving the objectives outlined in the agreement.

Interior’s new Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will oversee the development of wind and other renewable energy resources on the Outer Continental Shelf.  In addition to cooperation with the governors, Interior will continue to work with local, state, tribal and federal stakeholders to facilitate the commercial leasing process for offshore renewable energy development through inter-governmental task forces.

Task forces have been formally established with Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland, and are in process for New York, South Carolina, and Florida.