Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

Speaking of clean energy, nine East Coast governors from both parties wrote to Biden on Friday to lay out their priorities as the U.S. seeks to expand its nascent offshore wind industry . “To revitalize our aging port infrastructure and deliver a new high-paying offshore wind workforce, we need continued federal leadership to prioritize the development of and provide a predictable long-term plan for the industry,” they wrote.

Among their aims, the governors called on the Biden administration to set long-term targets for Bureau of Ocean Energy Management lease-area scoping and establishment that can support their states’ offshore wind procurement timelines. They also ask the administration to consider setting targets for offshore wind ports and to ensure there is adequate transmission capacity, including by instructing FERC to direct regional system operators to initiate policies that encourage collaboration and stimulate investment in the planning and development. The letter was signed by the governors of Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Virginia.