23 Jun Letter from Offshore Wind Advisory Group Urging Adoption of Offshore Wind Policies in Energy and Environment

Dear Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi, Minority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McCarthy:

As members of the Bipartisan Policy Center’s Offshore Wind Advisory Group, we are writing to urge Congress to adopt offshore wind policies in potential upcoming legislation in the 116th Congress. In particular, we ask you to support six key policies that will support jobs, encourage economic. development, and create new national energy infrastructure.

Offshore wind energy holds enormous potential in several regions of the U.S. and is a rapidly growing industry. Offshore wind projects are important to many domestic job-creating industries, including shipbuilders, manufacturers, ports, offshore services companies, and offshore wind developers, among others. The American Wind Energy Association estimates that by 2025, offshore wind energy could support up to 45,000 jobs, with the potential to reach 83,000 jobs by 2030. Yet, the U.S. offshore wind industry is still in a nascent stage with respect to its supply chain and supporting infrastructure. It is also challenged by a patchwork of federal, state, and local siting and permitting processes, as well as the changing suite of tax credits and other government incentives. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic is resulting in substantial uncertainty and potential offshore wind project delays given continued disruption to labor markets, supply chains, and construction operations, among other factors.