BOSTON - NECEC issued the following statement on the announcement from the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of Commerce of the approval of the construction and operation of the Vineyard Wind project — the first large-scale, offshore wind project in the United States.

"Congratulations to NECEC member Vineyard Wind on the approval of its 800 MW offshore wind project, the first major project of its kind in the United States," said NECEC President Peter Rothstein. “Today’s announcement establishes a clear and sustainable path for offshore wind development in the Northeast. We applaud the Biden-Harris Administration for taking this significant step to move the Vineyard Wind project forward and invest in a new industry that will transform our energy supply, create thousands of good, local jobs, and help us reach our climate goals.”

The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind energy project will be located approximately 12 nautical miles offshore Martha's Vineyard and 12 nautical miles offshore Nantucket in the northern portion of Vineyard Wind’s lease area. With this approval, Vineyard Wind anticipates moving forward with construction this year and plans to begin providing clean energy to Massachusetts residents by 2023.

About NECEC

NECEC is the premier voice of businesses building a world-class clean energy hub in the Northeast, helping clean energy companies start, scale, and succeed with our unique business, innovation, and policy leadership. NECEC includes the Northeast Clean Energy Council, a nonprofit business member organization, and NECEC Institute, a nonprofit focused on industry research, innovation, policy development, and strategic communications. NECEC’s innovation program includes Cleantech Open Northeast, the Northeast affiliate of the national cleantech accelerator Cleantech Open, and Cleantech Navigate, which provides cleantech startups with curated connections to mentors, test sites, customers, corporate partners, and investors. NECEC brings together business leaders and key stakeholders to engage in influential policy discussions and business initiatives while building connections that propel the clean energy industry forward.

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