New Bedford Officials React to State Offshore Wind Announcement

NEW BEDFORD – Mayor Jon Mitchell, Port of New Bedford Director Gordon Carr, and New Bedford Ocean Cluster Executive Director Jennifer Downing issued the following statements in response to Friday’s offshore wind selection:

“New Bedford’s national leadership in offshore wind energy was bolstered by today’s announcement of the winners of the multistate offshore wind procurement. With the selection of three wind projects, together representing the overwhelming share of the overall procurement, Governor Healey and her team have clearly recognized the unique generational opportunity to embrace a new industry and ensure that it sets down deep roots in Massachusetts, bringing with it well-paying jobs and economic growth for many years to come.

“We in Greater New Bedford are especially excited that the largest single project selected today, SouthCoast Wind, has premised its proposal on the use of the Port of New Bedford for both project staging and as a base for operations and maintenance. With the two other winning proposals from Avangrid and Vineyard Wind also committed to using New Bedford for significant aspects of their projects, the awards announced today will collectively generate lasting economic benefits for the City and the region.” – Mayor Jon Mitchell

“We see today’s offshore wind procurement as not just an investment in clean energy, but a further investment in New Bedford. This latest news reaffirms the Port of New Bedford’s role as a leader in offshore wind advancement and validates the work we have done to prepare for and support the industry. The commitments made by the selected developers are also a strong testament to the importance of the privately funded projects in the Port that will serve this industry. We look forward to working with our federal, state, and local partners as well as the developers of the projects to ensure a seamless and timely progression to maximize the economic benefits of this industry.” – Port Of New Bedford Director Gordon Carr

“Today’s announcement confirms Massachusetts’ commitment to the clean energy transition, and we commend Governor Healey and her administration for leading on offshore wind development. It is exciting to see that we have a pipeline of projects ahead of us and that the Port of New Bedford will continue to play a significant role in their advancement. New Bedford is poised to become a leading O&M base for the industry, and this will generate long-term, good paying jobs, create new business opportunities for our local supply chain, and bring in new business that will fuel our overall economy for years to come.” – New Bedford Ocean Cluster Executive Director Jennifer Downing