To the surprise and delight of New Hampshire's climate activists, on January 2nd, we received a New Year's gift from Governor Chris Sununu - a letter to the Bureau Of Ocean Management requesting a federal task force to study offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine.
Governor Sununu said that if there was demonstrated support, he would make the BOEM request. In March 2018, 20 towns approved resolutions or warrant articles supporting offshore wind. Despite this, there was no action in 2018.
The offshore wind campaign is one that Doug Bogen, director of Seacoast Anti-Pollution League (SAPL), has put years of long hours into. As a member of 350 NH's steering committee, he began the offshore wind campaign during Governor Hassan's term, but despite meetings, she never agreed to request the task force.
Whether the many calls, emails and demonstrations at the State House moved Governor Sununu, or if Maine's new Governor, Janet Mills, helped motivate action, the result is an impressive move for New Hampshire, one of the last (if not the last) East Coast states to embrace offshore wind.
Offshore wind means far more jobs created than fossil fuel expansion and abundant clean, renewable energy. The renewable energy future of New Hampshire is looking a little brighter with offshore wind in its future.
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