Letter to the Honorable Christopher Christie, Governor of the State of New Jersey, Regarding Offshore - Wind Power

Letter

Dear Governor Christie:

We write to bring your attention to an opportunity from the federal government to support clean energy and new jobs for New Jersey. On September 23, 2015, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) of the Department of the Interior announced plans to auction 343,833 acres off the coast of southern New Jersey for the development of offshore wind power. The auction will occur on November 9, 2015, and has the promise of making New Jersey a national leader in the development of offshore wind.

Offshore wind has incredible potential to spur new manufacturing in New Jersey, create good-paying jobs, and provide our residents with a clean, affordable, and abundant source of power. According to BOEM, if fully developed, the auction site could sustain at least 3,400 megawatts--enough to power 1.2 million homes. Offshore wind would also help New Jersey meet its renewable energy goals, including the 3,000 megawatt offshore wind level discussed in the State's Energy Master Plan.

In 2010, you signed the bipartisan Offshore Wind Economic Development Act (OWEDA) into law, and today additional action is needed to advance offshore wind development in New Jersey. In order to ensure a successful federal lease auction, the State must move ahead with the implementation of OWEDA, including the establishment of the Offshore Renewable Energy Credit (OREC) system created under the law. We encourage your Administration to move as quickly as possible to fully implement OWEDA, to ensure a clear and robust State policy to complement the efforts of the federal government.

We hope that the State of New Jersey will take the needed steps to partner with the federal government to bring offshore wind power to fruition. We look forward to working with you to position New Jersey at the forefront of the nation's clean energy economy.

Sincerely,

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