Lawmaker praises Obama administration announcement on progress for New England offshore wind project

Washington, DC (August 9, 2012) – Today, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced key steps forward on a proposed floating offshore wind project located 12 nautical miles off the coast of Maine.

“Floating offshore wind is better than spilling offshore oil,” said Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), top Democrat on the Natural Resources Committee. “In stark contrast to Republican’s who voted last month to allow unsafe oil drilling off the coast of Maine and Massachusetts, the Obama administration is moving forward with new wind energy technologies as a means for harnessing our regions untapped clean energy resources. This will attract and support new jobs and industries to our region.”

BOEM will be working with the Maine Public Utilities Commission to ensure public comment and environmental reviews are conducted. Floating wind technology offers another technology solution for decreasing America’s dependence on foreign oil, reducing heat-trapping pollution and boosting our national security. This offshore demonstration project would have a 12 –megawatt production capacity through four wind turbines.

“Mitt Romney has a record of off-shoring jobs and opposing wind energy, while President Obama is working to build wind offshore and keeps jobs here at home,” said Rep. Markey. “Creating more clean energy jobs in New England also means less of our young men and women in uniform could be shipped off to the Middle East to fight wars to protect foreign oil in conflict zones.”