Under Fire in Gulf, Salazar Announces East Coast Wind Plan

States signing on

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While the Obama administration continues to search for a productive response to the disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, this tidbit of news crossed our desks.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar today announced a memorandum of understanding which will establish the Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium.

While still in the development stage, the agreement includes Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina. The newly created Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will oversee offshore renewable energy development and be based in Virginia.

The goal of this new agency, according to reports, will be to begin tapping into the estimated 1 million megawatts of potential wind power that exists off the east coast, according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory estimates.

Salazar predicted that wind could generate as much as 20 percent of the country’s electricity by 2030.

An Earthjustice staff member from 1999 until 2015, Brian used outreach and partnership skills to cover many issues, including advocacy campaign efforts to promote a healthy ocean.