Sen. Markey calls for Project Labor Agreements for Massachusetts offshore wind projects
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) sent letters Monday to offshore wind developers Vineyard Wind, Ørsted, Mayflower Wind and Equnor, encouraging them to enter into Project Labor Agreements (PLA) for all projects off the Massachusetts coast and the larger East Coast.
“The introduction of offshore wind facilities off the coast of Massachusetts is poised to create tens of thousands of new jobs across the region,” Markey wrote in the letters. “All offshore wind projects off the coast of Massachusetts should enter into Project Labor Agreements to make sure that local, highly skilled workers can have good-paying and safe jobs in this important new industry. Massachusetts labor unions stand ready to tackle the opportunities and challenges of projects like Vineyard Wind, and can train and develop the local workforce to meet the demands of the offshore wind industry.”
Under a 2016 renewable energy law, Massachusetts set a goal of procuring 1600 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind, and the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources recently unveiled a plan to solicit an additional 1,600 MW of offshore wind by 2024.
In June, Markey, along with Sens. Tom Carper (D-DE), Susan Collins (R-ME), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) introduced legislation that aimed to expand offshore wind education and career training. In June, Markey, Whitehouse, and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-RI) also reintroduced legislation that would extend tax credits for offshore wind.
