Washington (December 1, 2020) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement after Vineyard Wind announced a new contract with GE to provide 13-megawatt turbines for the Vineyard Wind 1 project.

 

“Vineyard Wind is setting the right kind of example for clean energy companies in this agreement to use industry-leading American wind turbine technology for its offshore wind installation,” said Senator Markey. “I am also glad to hear that Vineyard Wind is continuing to work toward using unionized labor in its New Bedford construction and operations. We need to ensure that Massachusetts’s highly skilled workers have access to good-paying and safe jobs in this industry that is poised to become the future of clean energy and will make Massachusetts an offshore wind juggernaut. Our workers and our manufacturers stand ready to meet the demands of the offshore wind industry, and our economy stands ready to reap the winds of success.”

In December 2019, Senator Markey sent letters to offshore wind developers Vineyard Wind, Ørsted, Mayflower Wind, and Equnor calling on them to enter into Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for all projects off the Massachusetts and the larger East Coast. A PLA would ensure that newly created jobs in the offshore wind industry would be filled with a highly-skilled local union workforce.

 

In June 2019, Senators Markey, Tom Carper (D-Del.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) introduced legislation to expand offshore wind educational and career training. Senators Markey and Whitehouse, and Congressman Jim Langevin (RI-02) also reintroduced legislation that would spur the growth of offshore wind energy by extending tax credits for the renewable energy industry. The Offshore Wind Incentives for New Development (WIND) Act would extend the 30 percent Investment Tax Credit (ITC) for offshore wind through 2025.