Thursday, October 28, 2010

Administration Meeting Draws Great Lakes Wind Advocates

Oct 27: The White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) hosted a workshop with the Great Lakes Wind Collaborative (GLWC) in Chicago on October 26 – 27, 2010, focused on the siting of offshore wind power in the Great Lakes. The two day workshop brought together wind developers, Federal and state regulators, environmental advocates, and other regional stakeholders to discuss methods for ensuring greater clarity, certainty and coordination of Federal and state decision-making for offshore wind development in the Great Lakes.
 
    CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley said, "President Obama has made an unprecedented commitment to renewable energy development in the United States. Increasing our wind power generation is a critical component to building greater energy independence and creating jobs here at home. We must improve and increase the lines of communication to bring wind development in the Great Lakes closer to fruition."
 
    According to a release, more than 100 people participated in the workshop, including representatives from Federal agencies, state governments, energy companies, state Public Service Commissions, wind developers and manufacturers, non-profit organizations and other industry experts. The workshop offered participants an opportunity to: learn more about the role of various Federal agencies in the siting of offshore wind power in the Great Lakes; and clarify the process by which developers, states and other stakeholders can engage federal and state regulators in offshore wind development in the Great Lakes. The workshop concluded with these stakeholders charting a path forward to develop a collaborative process to achieve greater clarity and certainty during Federal decision making with regard to offshore wind development in the Great Lakes.
 
    Access a joint release from the agencies (click here). Access the GLWC website for more information (click here).

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