The mission of the BGA is to unite labor unions and environmental organizations to solve today’s environmental challenges in a way that creates and maintains quality jobs and builds a clean, prosperous, and equitable economy. Offshore wind is a vital clean energy solution that presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to advance this mission if projects are developed in an equitable and environmentally responsible manner, with high-road labor standards and attention to environmental justice. Offshore wind projects have the potential to lift up the working class with family-sustaining union jobs, deliver benefits to communities hardest hit by climate change and economic inequality, and protect wildlife and critical habitats at every stage of development.

We appreciate BOEM’s draft PEIS analyzing the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development in the six leased areas in the New York Bight. The final sale notice for these lease areas included lease stipulations designed to promote the development of a robust domestic supply chain, advance flexibility in transmission planning, and create good paying union jobs. The leases require winning bidders to make efforts to enter into project labor agreements (PLAs); and require engagement with Tribes, underserved communities, ocean users, and agencies. The lease stipulations also incentivize the use of domestically sourced components and require developers to create plans for contributing to the creation of a robust domestic supply chain.

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