Offshore wind farms may soon be developed along coastlines nationwide as part of the Biden administration’s effort to combat the climate crisis, according to the Associated Press.
Over the next several years, the federal government intends to auction windmill leases off the coasts of North and South Carolina, California, and Oregon, as well as the Gulf of Maine, the Gulf of Mexico, the central Atlantic, and the area between Long Island and New Jersey known as New York Bight, according to The Verge.
“The Interior Department is laying out an ambitious road map as we advance the administration’s plans to confront climate change, create good-paying jobs and accelerate the nation’s transition to a cleaner energy future,” U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said. “We have big goals to achieve a clean energy economy and Interior is meeting the moment.”
By 2030, President Biden aims to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, which could power more than 10 million houses and create up to 77,000 jobs, according to federal officials. The wind farms may also help prevent approximately 78 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
The government plans to spend an additional $2 million on visual surveys and audio monitoring of marine mammals and seabirds along the West Coast.
“In order for Americans living in coastal areas to see the benefits of offshore wind, we must ensure that it’s done with care for the surrounding ecosystem by coexisting with fisheries and marine life – and that’s exactly what this investment will do,″ said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.
The offshore wind push is part of Biden’s larger objective to power the national electricity grid with clean energy alone by 2035, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050.
However, the move will likely face some resistance from commercial fishing industry representatives and coastal property owners, according to The New York Times.