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Audrey Hufnagel, 17, is a member of Maine Youth for Climate Justice, a coalition of youth from across the state who fight for climate justice and a livable future for all. She lives in Damariscotta and is a member of the Energy Working Group of the Maine Climate Council. Cletis Boyer, 83, is a member of Third Act Maine, a group of elders in the “third act” of their lives, joining with the younger generation to fight for a fossil fuel-free energy system.
On a daily basis, news reports inform us of the impacts of climate change, with floods, droughts, wildfires and hurricanes increasing in intensity, impacting people around the world and threatening the future of our planet. Though compared with many regions of the world, Maine may seem safely removed from these trends, but the Gulf of Maine is in fact one of the fastest warming bodies of water in the world and our coastal communities are impacted by rising sea levels and the increased intensity of storms.
These effects will continue to impact fisheries and other marine industries that our coastal economies rely on. And yet, Maine has an opportunity to take steps toward addressing this issue through the implementation of offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine, which has the potential to supply a significant amount of renewable energy for the state to help us transition away from fossil fuels and invest in a renewable energy economy.
We are separated by 66 years of age, but we recognize the importance of people working together across generations to address the climate crisis. Climate change is something that affects everyone, and we need everyone to be part of the solution. Broad public support, as well as cooperating organizations and municipalities, will be required for Maine to successfully adapt to the climate challenges we face. Communities along the coast can play a vital role in reaching our state’s clean energy goals laid out in the Maine Won’t Wait climate action plan by supporting a port to assemble offshore wind turbines.
Offshore wind is a crucial source to Maine’s transition to clean energy. According to models in the Maine Governor’s Office of Energy Pathway to 2040 plan, a significant amount of Maine’s renewable energy production must come from offshore wind in order for Maine to reach the goal of 100 percent renewable energy by 2040. In order to meet this timeline, Maine must rapidly increase its offshore wind infrastructure in the Gulf of Maine, based on the ongoing research by the University of Maine.
Offshore wind production also has the opportunity to create a new industry and jobs in the clean energy sector. Energy production systems are in themselves massive job providers, especially during the transition to a new system. The manufacturing of these turbines will require a new port to be built using strong labor standards and bringing good-paying jobs to the area. A new port and industry in Seaport could provide continuous employment in family-supporting jobs as well as bringing additional families and jobs to the midcoast area.
Coastal and island communities are especially challenged to build resilience to climate change. Offshore wind farms providing ample supplies of clean, affordable energy to Maine could be a crucial element helping these communities in meeting this challenge. This building project would also incorporate community benefit agreements with the developers, which would provide funding to upgrade our communities’ infrastructure, which could include schools, ferries, roads and seawalls. The developers of the port and the offshore wind farms gain support from the communities involved, and the communities gain funding for their resilience building projects.
This port project can be a significant step toward implementing offshore wind in Maine and strengthening Maine’s necessary transition to renewable energy production to mitigate the climate crisis. If it does so by involving all relevant stakeholders in its planning and implementation, it has the opportunity to greatly benefit coastal communities and grow in our clean energy economy. As residents of the midcoast, we support this project that would provide crucial clean energy resources to help Maine transition to renewable energy and address the climate crisis.