Governors' Wind Energy Coalition

The New York State Building and Construction Trades Council has joined the New York Offshore Wind Alliance, further strengthening the group of environmental, business and labor groups pushing for wind turbines off the coast.

The council, which has more than 200,000 union workers, is joining the group that seeks “to the fight for a cleaner environment, renewable energy and a stronger economic future for New York,” according to Joe Martens, director of the Alliance and a former commissioner of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The group argues that these projects would generate jobs and environmental benefits, by harnessing wind as a key part of a renewable energy push.

“Offshore wind development will be good for Long Island and the whole state with good new union jobs and a new clean energy economy that will benefit everyone,” Jim Cahill, president of the council, said.

The alliance already includes the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Long Island Association, the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, the Sierra Club, the National Wildlife Federation, Renewable Energy Long Island, Deepwater and many others.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has set a goal to have half of the state’s power generated by renewable energy sources by 2030. He also directed the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to develop an Offshore Wind Master Plan to advance projects.

NYSERDA is expected to release a procurement plan that outlines options for purchasing offshore wind energy and complete the master plan by the end of this year.