President Joe Biden's administration has announced plans to build seven major offshore wind farms along the east and west coast.
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said the government aimed to hold up to seven offshore lease sales by 2025 for waters in the Gulf of Maine, Central Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico, as well as off of the coast of New York, the Carolinas, California and Oregon.
However, the plan could face pushback from coastal and fishing communities and even some environmental groups.
It's part of a push by Biden's government to supply wind-generated energy to more than 10 million homes by 2030.
Haaland made the announcement while speaking at a conference on wind power in Boston, Massachusetts.
'The Interior Department is laying out an ambitious roadmap as we advance the administration's plans to confront climate change, create good-paying jobs, and accelerate the nation's transition to a cleaner energy future,' she said.
President Joe Biden's administration announced plans to build seven major offshore wind farms along the east and west coast by 2025
The plan is part of a push by Biden's government to supply wind-generated energy to more than 10 million homes by 2030
Interior Secretary Deb Haaland made the announcement while speaking at a conference on wind power in Boston, Massachusetts
Only one offshore wind farm is currently fully operational in the United States: the Block Island Wind Farm, completed at the end of 2016 off the state of Rhode Island and capable of producing 30 megawatts of wind power.
The White House approved the first commercial wind farm in the US off the coast of Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts this summer.
The 30 gigawatts is equivalent to the energy that would power 10 million homes.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management aims to review at least 16 offshore wind project plans by 2025.
In March, Biden announced his administration would invest heavily to boost offshore wind farms, as part of its efforts to fight climate change.
In addition to wind energy to millions of homes, the administration's plans would produce 30 gigawatts of wind power by 2030, cut 78 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions and create tens of thousands of jobs.
In March, Biden announced his administration would invest heavily to boost offshore wind farms, as part of its efforts to fight climate change
The Oregon coast (pictured above) is one of seven areas where the administration hopes to build
The Biden administration's support for wind power is in stark contrast to former president Donald Trump
The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) pilot project, with a capacity of 12 megawatts, saw its first phase completed in 2020.
The final site is to be completed in 2026 and could supply energy to 600,000 households.
The Biden administration's support for wind power is in stark contrast to former president Donald Trump, who repeatedly ridiculed the renewable energy source during his term, claiming it was expensive and inefficient.
The department of energy will spend $2 million on visual surveys and acoustic monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds at potential wind sites on the West Coast.
“In order for Americans living in coastal areas to see the benefits of offshore wind, we must ensure that it’s done with care for the surrounding ecosystem by coexisting with fisheries and marine life – and that’s exactly what this investment will do,″ Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said in a news release.
The plan needs to be approved by state and local government, as well as environmental groups before construction begins.
It could meet backlash from fishing communities and residents of these coastal areas. Fishermen say the wind projects make it harder to harvest seafood.
Some conservation groups even argue the turbines will kill thousands of birds and hurt marine life.
The plan could meet backlash from fishing communities and residents of these coastal areas. Fishermen say the wind projects make it harder to harvest seafood
Some conservation groups even argue the turbines will kill thousands of birds and hurt marine life
The plan needs to be approved by state and local government, as well as environmental groups before construction begins
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