"What's Brewin Offshore?"

Climate Jobs NY Education Fund along with our partners New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, Long Island Association, Long Island Federation of Labor, Citizens Campaign for the Environment and Equinor hosted a happy hour on September 13 about offshore wind. Over 70 people joined the event, "What's Brewin' Offshore?," including Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.

The happy hour was organized to help Long Islanders learn about permitted and proposed offshore wind projects including the Sunrise Wind, Empire Wind, South Fork Wind, and Beacon Wind projects. Attendees also learned about green, union job opportunities and how to get involved.

We'd like to thank County Executive Laura Curran for highlighting the importance of offshore wind and good union jobs for Nassau County. 

“Nassau County is a trailblazer in climate change and with two historic wind farms being built off the coast of Long Island we will be leading the way in developing the largest source of offshore wind power in the Country, '' said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. “Nassau stands ready to play our part in developing the wind power infrastructure while maximizing the economic potential of this new industry for our local businesses and our workforce. Thank you to Climate Jobs NY Education Fund, NYLCVEF, LIA, LI Federation of Labor, and Citizens Campaign for the Environment for hosting this event to get people interested in the economic growth and good-paying union jobs that this clean industry can deliver to our Island.”

Another month, another round of key permitting milestones for one of NY's offshore wind projects, Sunrise Wind. We need YOUR help in organizing community members to submit comments by October 4. 

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently kicked off the federal environmental review process for Sunrise Wind, an offshore wind project selected by New York State in 2019. This is one of five offshore wind projects in NY—each of which will go through a thorough environmental review and have the opportunity for public input. The Sunrise Wind project will be located approximately 31 miles east of Montauk, Long Island, and will power over half a million homes while creating green union jobs for New Yorkers. 

The New York labor movement has fought and secured strong labor standards for offshore wind and large-scale renewable energy projects here in New York, and we need to drive the point home to the federal government that we can only create an equitable clean energy economy with strong labor standards and union jobs! 

We need community members LIKE YOU to submit supportive comments. Comments are due by October 4 and can be submitted online at this link: https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/BOEM-2021-0052-0002

Please see sample statements below to copy and paste into the online commenting board. If you have any questions, please reach out to me, LI lead for Climate Jobs NY, at mdignan@climatejobsny.org or at 646-708-5474. 

• I am a union member and I strongly believe that Americans should not have to choose between a good job and a clean environment—we can and must have both. The Sunrise Wind Project is an opportunity to not only drive the nation’s clean energy future, but can help create quality, family-sustaining union jobs at the same time. I urge BOEM to move forward with the permitting process while prioritizing the creation of good union jobs.

• As a Long Islander, I support offshore wind. Large-scale utility development like offshore wind not only will help reduce our massive carbon footprint but will also mean a tremendous amount of economic opportunity in the form of jobs and community benefits. We have been preparing for this moment for a very long time. We urge approvals and next steps for the Sunrise Wind project to be as expeditious as possible to get New Yorkers to work, and we urge BOEM to prioritize high-road labor practices in offshore wind projects.

• I am a member of the New York labor movement and I support offshore wind and the Sunrise Wind project. We can create a clean energy economy that puts workers and their families first by By including strong labor standards like paying prevailing wage, project labor agreements, and labor peace agreements in this and future offshore wind projects.