Interior Dept., Governor Patrick today unveiled 742k acres for wind energy development 

WASHINGTON (June 17, 2014) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today welcomed the announcement by the U.S. Interior Department and Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick that 742,000 acres would be made available to develop wind energy off the coast of the Bay State. Senator Markey has fought to preserve the Production Tax Credit for wind energy, and the first bill he introduced in the Senate would establish a 25 percent target for renewable energy production nationwide.

Senator Markey’s statement is below. He is a member of the Environment and Public Works, Foreign Relations, and Commerce, Science and Transportation Committees:

“This expansion of wind energy areas means that Massachusetts won’t just be the first to deliver offshore wind in America, it means we’ll be the leader for years to come. In Massachusetts, we’ve been battered by the winds for centuries, and now it’s time that we harness its power to create jobs and fight climate change.

“By using their Smart from the Start program, Secretary Jewell and her Interior Department are proving that we can cut down the time it takes to grant renewable energy leases while increasing collaboration between states, wind energy developers, and the people they serve. I commend Governor Patrick for his leadership on renewable energy and delivering this job-creating potential to our shores.”