Morgan Caplan, morgan.caplan@sierraclub.org
Virginia Beach, VA– Today, the Biden administration approved the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project – the largest offshore wind project in the country. This is the fifth approval of a massive, offshore wind energy project under President Biden’s leadership. Today’s approval contributes to Biden’s commitment to helping 30 gigawatts of offshore wind come online by 2030.
The CVOW project, which involves 176 wind turbines off the coast of Virginia Beach, provides a massive amount of renewable energy that allows Virginia to do its part to confront the climate crisis and become a leader in the renewable energy industry. The project will replace 2.6 gigawatts of fossil fuel energy – overall reducing air pollution from carbon dioxide, decreasing dependence on fossil fuel infrastructure, protecting public health, and providing family-sustaining, quality jobs for Virginians.
Specifically, CVOW will support 1,000 high-paying permanent jobs in the advanced energy industry and 900 high-skilled, high-pay manufacturing jobs for those without a college degree, as well as millions in revenue for local governments and stable energy prices for consumers.
In response Eileen Woll, Offshore Energy Program Director for the Sierra Club Virginia Chapter issued a statement:
“The clean energy future we are fighting for is here! The Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project stands as a proud testament to Virginians' decade-long campaign for this massive renewable energy resource that not only helps us confront the climate crisis, but also supports tremendous job creation and economic opportunities for so many Virginians, especially in disadvantaged communities. We look forward to continuing to work with Dominion and the Biden administration throughout the construction of this monumental project, to make sure we protect our coastal environment and bring about a just transition.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.