Washington, D.C. — Turn Forward Executive Director Hillary Bright issued the following statement in response to Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum’s directive to halt construction on the Empire Wind 1 project and initiate a review of current and future offshore wind permits:
“Today’s actions by the U.S. government mark an unfortunate setback for an industry that’s ready to drive American energy dominance forward. Offshore wind’s unique strategic advantage lies in its ability to supply massive amounts of utility-scale power to populous coastal areas with limited alternatives–and to do so within the next few years. The widening gap between rising electricity demand and available energy supply poses a serious threat to economic growth. Offshore wind offers viable, shovel-ready projects that help close that gap. It is in our clear national interest to boost the deployment of valuable energy resources like offshore wind.”
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Turn Forward is an independent, non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to advancing an ambitious vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges.
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