We, the undersigned elected officials, support the responsible development of offshore wind for California to create jobs, lead America’s clean energy transition, and protect our state from the worst impacts of the climate emergency.

California’s current dependence on dirty and dangerous fossil fuel production is making our state and planet less safe. From ever-worsening droughts and wildfires that are devastating our communities to the estimated 34,000 Californians who die each year from fossil fuel pollution, the urgency for ending the era of fossil fuels is clear. In the wake of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, we must act on the scale and speed that science demands to address the escalating climate emergency, protect public health, and end systemic environmental racism caused by fossil fuel pollution.¹

Responsible development of California’s offshore wind resources is imperative to reach our statewide goal of 100% clean power by 2045, while creating thousands of high-skilled jobs, reducing demand for polluting fossil fuels, and protecting our marine resources and coastal communities.²

Thank you for your leadership in proposing an additional $45 million for investments to prepare waterfront facilities in California to support floating offshore wind energy development in federal waters off the coast. We encourage you to support and implement the recommendations within California Energy Commission’s (CEC) May, 2022 report issued in response to the offshore wind law AB 525, which you signed into law after it passed with nearly-unanimous bipartisan support. The goals set out in the report, including generating 3 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind by 2030 and 18 GW to 20 GW by 2045, which would enable California to reach 100% renewable power by 2045.³

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) estimates California’s technical potential for offshore wind power at well over 100 GW.⁴ NREL estimates that building 10 GW of offshore wind power in California would support thousands of jobs, supply competitively priced power⁵ for at least 3.5 million homes, and generate $20 billion in GDP by 2050.⁶

California can become America’s offshore wind powerhouse by exporting clean, renewable wind power to other states. A report by Environment California Research & Policy Center and Frontier Group, found that California could provide 157 percent of our state’s 2019 electricity usage with offshore wind alone.⁷

By meeting our electricity needs through clean, pollution-free offshore wind energy, California can deliver air quality improvements to frontline communities. About 78 percent of our gas power plants reside in communities identified by CalEPA as having the state’s highest burden of poverty and cumulative environmental health burdens.⁸ Typically these are Black and Brown communities that suffer from fossil fuel production and factories that spew toxins, which have been strategically located in their communities because they were redlined decades ago.

California has an incredible opportunity to create more than 17,500 good-paying jobs by 2045 and improve air quality in frontline communities due to the Biden administration opening up roughly 399 square miles off the central coast region, northwest of Morro Bay, and advancing the Humboldt Call Area as a potential Wind Energy Area for offshore wind.^9,10,11

Support for offshore wind development in California is growing rapidly, with wide support among labor unions, industry, and environmental groups.¹²To ensure the economic benefits of offshore wind are shared equitably, frontline communities must be included in the manufacturing, development, and generation of offshore wind power. Thousands of shovel-ready union jobs will be created, as well as port revitalization, which alone can add up to 6,000 local, full-time equivalent jobs per port right away, according to a report from Brightline Defense.¹³

Investing in offshore wind will generate thousands of additional jobs in construction, manufacturing, turbine demonstration, and transmission line projects as well as create a pathway for some oil workers to transition to this new vibrant industry. Apprenticeship training programs will add new career pathways for trade workers. These opportunities will also prepare the state’s workforce to build, operate and maintain a 100% clean energy electricity grid.¹⁴

To avert the most catastrophic effects of the climate emergency, we must heed the International Energy Agency’s report warning that governments must immediately stop new oil and gas production.15 Responsible offshore wind development is crucial to transitioning California to 100% clean energy.

California can lead our nation in developing America’s offshore wind power, which has the potential to meet 90% of total U.S. energy demand by 2050.16

We’re at the vanguard of a new clean, renewable energy industry that will generate thousands of jobs, create prosperity for our communities, improve our health, and help protect our coastlines.  Offshore wind is essential for a prosperous, healthy, and just future for California.

Sincerely,

Members, Elected Officials to Protect America (EOPA) California