Oceana CEO Praises Administration's Acceleration of Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Development - Oceana

Oceana CEO Praises Administration’s Acceleration of Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Development

Press Release Date: November 23, 2010

Location: Washington, D.C.

Contact:

Anna Baxter | email: abaxter@oceana.org
Anna Baxter

Statement from Oceana CEO Andrew Sharpless regarding today’s Department of Interior announcement of accelerated Atlantic offshore wind energy development

Specifics about today’s announcement can be found here:

http://www.doi.gov/news/mediaadvisories/Salazar-and-Atlantic-State-Leaders-to-Announce-Major-Offshore-Wind-Initiative.cfm 

                      

“Ocean wind power is the good witch to the bad witch of ocean oil drilling.  We are pleased that the government is welcoming the good witch to our shores,” said Oceana CEO Andrew Sharpless.

“People need jobs and energy.  Ocean wind power, unlike ocean oil drilling, is a great way to do both.  We welcome this announcement which is good for the economy, good for the oceans and good for the future,” added Sharpless.

Background:

Offshore wind power is essential to the future health of our oceans. It will help us reduce our consumption of fossil fuels, which will slow climate change and ocean acidification, two big threats to the survival of marine life worldwide. According to leading scientists, rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels will cause enormous damage to oceans in the near future.

An Oceana research analysis released on September 28, Untapped Wealth: Offshore Wind Can Deliver Cleaner, More Affordable Energy and More Jobs than Offshore Oil, revealed that offshore wind potential off the U.S. Atlantic coast is so high that it can generate 30 percent more electricity than offshore oil and gas from the same region. 

Oceana also found that developing offshore wind projects along the Atlantic coast can supply nearly half the electricity currently generated by East coast states and create hundreds of thousands of long-term jobs in the region.

Oceana’s team of marine scientists, economists, lawyers and advocates win specific and concrete policy changes to reduce pollution and prevent the irreversible collapse of fish populations, marine mammals and other sea life. Global in scope and dedicated to conservation, Oceana has campaigners based in North America, Europe, South and Central America.

For more specifics, visit www.oceana.org/cleanenergy