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According to reports, in an effort to make his lofty goal of making the nation's electricity sector carbon neutral by 2035, Biden’s administration is set to start selling leases in the area to promote clean energy.
According to reports, constructing the offshore turbines would create approximately 32,000 jobs between 2022 and 2030 with 6,000 permanent jobs when the project is complete.
“President Biden believes we have an enormous opportunity in front of us to not only address the threats of climate change, but use it as a chance to create millions of good-paying, union jobs that will fuel America's economic recovery," White House National Climate Adviser Gina McCarthy said in a statement.
The National Ocean Industries Association, which represents offshore wind and oil companies, said that the benefits of the proposal will reverberate throughout the country.
“In areas like the Gulf Coast, you will find steel fabricators, heavy lift vessel operators, subsea construction companies, helicopter service providers, and more who built their experience in the oil and gas industry but will be vital in building offshore wind,” Erik Milito, the association’s president stated.
The plan sets a target to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, which the administration said would be enough to power 10 million homes and cut 78 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide per year.
“We’re ready to rock and roll,” National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy said at an all-virtual press conference to announce the administration’s moves.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised Biden's decision, saying that it will turn the state into the "center of this new industry that will leverage billions in private investment for infrastructure and innovative technologies, while delivering significant climate and health benefits across the state and nation."
"New York state has a proud legacy of being the nation's leader in combatting climate change and embracing green energy, including executing the largest combined clean energy solicitations ever issued in U.S. history and adopting the most ambitious climate and clean energy legislation in the country," he said.
"We thank the Administration for immediately removing the barriers we faced the past four years with the federal government and creating a new priority Wind Energy Area in the New York and New Jersey Bight that will allow us to continue this legacy for years to come."
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