New York’s Construction Workers Support Offshore Wind

The New York State Laborers’ Organizing Fund (NYSLOF) has joined the New York Offshore Wind Alliance (NYOWA) in support of developing offshore wind in the US state.

NYSLOF, representing more than 40.000 construction and other industry workers, has pledged to support Governor Andrew Cuomo’s recent plan to advance offshore wind in New York.

“Partnering with our brother and sister unions, along with business leaders, community leaders, elected officials and some of the nation’s most respected environmental groups, we’re confident that we can make the vision of a clean energy economy come true,” John Hutchings, Director of the NYSLOF.

“We know that with our members’ skills and abilities, New York’s offshore wind projects will be the best in the country if not the world. We’re on board with making the Governor’s vision a reality.”

To remind, Governor Cuomo recently called for a procurement of at least 800MW of offshore wind power between two solicitations to be issued in 2018 and 2019.

The solicitations will be the first in a set schedule to reach the 2030 target of 2.4GW of commissioned offshore wind capacity set last year, Cuomo said in his 2018 State of the State, an agenda to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and growing the clean energy economy.

In addition, Cuomo committed to procuring USD 15 million investment in clean energy workforce training and development including offshore wind, as well as identification of the most promising public and private offshore wind port infrastructure investments.

NYOWA Director Joe Martens said: “Our coalition strongly supports Governor Cuomo’s offshore wind agenda and believes it will help New York win the fierce competition among states to become the hub of a new clean energy economy. Offshore wind will bring New York tremendous benefits – including renewable energy, new good paying jobs and an innovative clean energy economy that can be the envy of the nation.”