TRENTON-Gov. Chris Christie has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the federal government and fellow East Coast governors to promote the development of offshore wind power. The agreement, which establishes an Atlantic Offshore Wind Energy Consortium, will help to facilitate federal-state cooperation for commercial wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf off of the Atlantic coast.
"The environmental tragedy in the Gulf dramatically demonstrates the need to create safe and reliable ways to produce, distribute and use energy," Gov. Christie said in a statement. "Developing and investing in renewable energy resources, such as wind power, are key to the future economic growth of New Jersey and the Atlantic Coast Region."
In addition to Gov. Christie, the agreement was signed by the governors of Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island and Virginia.
Several wind energy projects for the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf have been proposed for East Coast states, including New Jersey, thereby positioning the state and the region to tap into the industry's potential and create manufacturing, construction and operations jobs.
"This opens the door of economic opportunity, allowing us to lure companies that manufacture the components of wind turbines, creating green jobs to harness the power of nature and provide our residents with a renewable energy supply," said DEP Commissioner Bob Martin. Three of the first five interim policy leases approved by the federal government to explore offshore wind projects are for tracts located off the coast of New Jersey.
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