Emily Pomilio, 480-286-0401, emily.pomilio@sierraclub.org
Samantha Dynowski, 860-916-3639, samantha.dynowski@sierraclub.org
Hartford, CT -- Today, the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) announced Park City Wind, a project of Vineyard Wind, will supply over 804 megawatts of offshore wind power to Connecticut--enough to supply 284,000 homes with power. The announcement highlights notable provisions in the project including significant economic development for the state and Bridgeport Harbor, a commitment to prevailing wage and project labor agreements, and plans to address environmental and fisheries impacts.
On top of Park City’s proposed wind farm, Eversource-Ørsted plans to transform State Pier in New London into an offshore wind hub will be voted on by the Connecticut Port Authority in the next few weeks.
Governor Ned Lamont reiterated his commitment to fighting the climate crisis in the announcement while Connecticut is on the cusp of building another fossil fuel power plant in Killingly. This is in addition to the ratepayer-funded subsidies that aim to add 900 miles of new gas pipelines, and other accompanying infrastructure, and connect 300,000 customers to fracked gas.
In a statement, Samantha Dynowski the Connecticut State Director for the Sierra Club said:
“This is a huge step in the right direction for Connecticut, but we can’t stop here. Governor Lamont must take equally strong action to end fossil fuel expansion. Right now, the 650 megawatt Killingly gas plant is still trying to stay afloat which will emit carbon and methane into the atmosphere for the lifespan of the plant. Governor Lamont needs to stop new fossil fuel infrastructure buildout and fully commit our state to renewable development like the 804 megawatt offshore wind project announced today.”
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 3.5 million 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.