The South Fork Wind offshore project has officially begun construction after a “groundbreaking” today attended by Sec. of the Interior Deb Haaland and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. The first offshore wind project for New York and the second commercial-scale offshore project approved in federal waters in the United States, South Fork will have a capacity of 130 MW by the time it is completed in 2023.
Courtesy of NYSERDA
“America’s clean energy transition is not a dream for a distant future – it is happening right here and now,” said Sec. Haaland. “Offshore wind will power our communities, advance our environmental justice goals, and stimulate our economy by creating thousands of good-paying union jobs across the nation. This is one of many actions we are taking in pursuit of the President’s goal to improve both the lives of American families and the health of our planet.”
The South Fork project, which was approved by Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) in November 2021 and received Construction and Operations Plan (COP) approval in January 2022, will directly support approximately 165 jobs over the two-year construction period and approximately 10 long-term jobs during the operations and maintenance period. The project will also support hundreds of jobs in the supply chain and service industries, producing economic benefits from the clean energy transition for onshore communities.
“The harsh impacts and costly realities of climate change are all too familiar on Long Island, but today as we break ground on New York’s first offshore wind project we are delivering on the promise of a cleaner, greener path forward that will benefit generations to come,” Gov. Hochul said. “This is a historic day for New York, and I look forward to continue working with Secretary Haaland as we lead our nation toward a greener, brighter future for all.”
The Biden Administration is preparing for lease sales in the New York Bight and offshore the Carolinas and California this year, and is actively working with states, Tribes, ocean users, and key stakeholders to explore wind potential in the Gulf of Maine and in the Gulf of Mexico, as well as offshore Oregon and Hawaii.
News item from DOI
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Projects
