Kaine & Colleagues Introduce Bill to Support Offshore Wind Job Growth
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined Senators Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity Act, legislation that would support offshore wind workforce development that meets the growing needs of the offshore wind and maritime industry. According to a recent report by the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that Kaine helped pass, clean energy jobs in Virginia grew by 3.6% from 2021-2022, adding over 3,000 new jobs. This bill would establish a grant program to support the training of both new and current workers for wind energy jobs, provide tuition financing, and support apprenticeship programs.
The introduction of the bill follows the Biden Administration’s approval of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) commercial project off the coast of the Hampton Roads region, which is expected to power over 650,000 homes, create thousands of jobs, and grow Hampton Roads’ economy. The CVOW project will be the largest commercial-scale offshore wind project in America.
“I’m proud that Virginia is developing the largest offshore wind project in the country, creating thousands of good-paying jobs,” said Senator Kaine. “This legislation will help us train the workforce we need to fill those jobs and expand economic growth. I will continue to do all that I can to help workers access job training programs and to create good-paying jobs in the Commonwealth.”
“Billions of dollars in clean energy investments are being unlocked from the Inflation Reduction Act, including my Offshore Wind American Manufacturing Act. We must ensure that our offshore wind workforce is ready,” said Senator Markey. “The Offshore Wind Jobs and Opportunity Act would prepare workers with the skills and training needed to supercharge our grid with clean energy powered by offshore wind. I will continue to push for the winds of change to blow off the shores of Massachusetts and other coastal communities throughout the nation so that our workers can benefit from this clean energy force.”
“There is much work to be done to bring offshore wind online effectively and efficiently -- that includes ensuring we have access to talent,” said Senator Whitehouse. “Our legislation will invest in job training programs to prepare the next generation of workers to fill well-paying jobs that help meet America’s offshore wind goals.”
“Offshore wind represents an enormous opportunity for Maryland, not just to achieve our clean energy goals, but also to reinvigorate our maritime and manufacturing industries,” said Senator Cardin. “Investing in our workers is the first step. Our legislation will support ongoing efforts to establish the state as an offshore wind manufacturing hub by providing workers with the training and support they need to enter the green economy.”
“The Inflation Reduction Act’s historic investments in offshore wind energy are helping fuel an American manufacturing boom – and creating major demand for a skilled workforce to power it – which is already taking shape in my home state of Maryland,” said Senator Van Hollen. “This bill will equip workers to seize the good-paying union job opportunities made possible by our efforts to grow America’s clean energy economy and fight the global climate crisis.”
Full text of the bill is available here.
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