NE4OSW Launches Webinar Series on Community Benefits Agreements and Offshore Wind
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 21, 2024
Contact:
Jennifer Delony, New England for Offshore Wind
jdelony@ne4osw.org, 603.320.7043
BOSTON – March 21, 2024 – New England for Offshore Wind (@NE4OSW), together with co-host Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, is excited to announce the launch of Empowering Communities with Offshore Wind: How a Community Benefits Agreement Can Bring Positive Change, a two-part webinar series shedding light on the vital topic of Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) in offshore wind development. The series will feature a distinguished keynote address by Dominick Pangallo, Mayor of Salem, Mass.
“Community Benefits Agreements build critical support for infrastructure, jobs, education, resiliency, and public needs and establish an important commitment to offshore wind infrastructure and project deployments that strengthen our regional economy, protect ratepayers and improve public health,” said Kelt Wilska, Offshore Wind Director at Environmental League of Massachusetts and Regional Lead of New England for Offshore Wind. “We’re excited to advance the conversation about the power of CBAs and the critical need to ensure they deliver equitable outcomes for the communities affected by offshore wind deployment.”
About the Series
Part I: Offshore Wind Community Benefits Agreements Today
Date: April 18, 4 p.m.
Recordings: tinyurl.com/CBAsView
Part I of the series will kick off with a comprehensive exploration of the current landscape of offshore wind project and port infrastructure CBAs. Participants will gain insights into the purpose and components of these agreements. Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo will deliver a keynote address, sharing perspectives on the local impact and importance of collaboration in fostering sustainable offshore wind development.
Part II: Environmental Justice Principles in Community Benefits Agreements Negotiations and Outcomes
Date: May 2, 4 p.m.
Register: tinyurl.com/NE4OSWcba2
Building on the foundation laid in Part I, the second installment of the series will delve into the crucial role of environmental justice principles in shaping the future of CBAs. Expert speakers will discuss the social and environmental rationale behind integrating these principles, emphasizing their significance in ensuring equitable outcomes for communities affected by offshore wind projects.
Key Highlights
- Keynote Address by the Mayor of Salem, Massachusetts
- In-depth exploration of Offshore Wind CBAs – Today and Tomorrow
- Insights from industry experts and practitioners
- Q&A sessions for participant engagement
- Opportunities for networking and collaboration
Join NE4OSW on this educational journey to advance the conversation around CBAs in offshore wind and foster collaboration, promote sustainability, and contribute to the responsible development of clean energy solutions.
About New England for Offshore Wind
New England for Offshore Wind (www.NewEnglandforOffshoreWind.org) is a broad-based coalition of businesses and associations, environmental and justice organizations, academic institutions, and labor unions committed to combatting climate change by increasing the supply of clean energy to our regional grid through more procurements of responsibly developed offshore wind. We believe that responsibly developed offshore wind is the single biggest lever we can pull to address the climate crisis while also strengthening our regional economy, protecting ratepayers, creating high quality jobs, and improving public health by reducing pollution.