USA: RI to Take Critical Step Toward Offshore Wind Power

After securing an important go-ahead from federal officials, Rhode Island is set to take a critical step toward developing commercial offshore wind programs through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s “Smart from the Start” offshore wind energy initiative.

Today, Friday, February 24th at 2:30 p.m. , Governor Lincoln Chafee, U.S. Senator Jack Reed, the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on the Interior and Environment, U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, and U.S. Representative David Cicilline will announce a move to help protect Rhode Island’s fishermen and move forward with establishing commercial wind energy development in Rhode Island, which could help bring jobs and investment to the state.

“Smart from the Start” is designed to spur rapid and responsible siting, leasing, and construction of new wind projects along the Atlantic Coast. In an important step toward fulfilling this initiative, the Bureau of Ocean and Environmental Management (BOEM) has identified a “Wind Energy Area” to develop wind programs offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts that would maximize wind energy potential while ensuring that Rhode Island’s fishermen continue to have access to fishing areas vital to their work.

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Offshore WIND staff, February 24, 2012; Image: rigovernor