Offshore Wind Hub in Cortlandt in Running for $200M Grant
A proposed wind turbine manufacturing facility on property owned by the Town of Cortlandt just south of Indian Point is among 11 sites competing for up to $200 million in state grant funding to develop critical port infrastructure.
Port Cortlandt is a plan developed by a consortium of developers, planners and environmental experts to utilize 54 acres on the Hudson River waterfront.
“The announcement that Port Cortlandt could help support the green infrastructure needs of New York State while bringing major investment and good paying union jobs to our community is welcome news here in Cortlandt,” said Cortlandt Councilman James Creighton.
With the Indian Point nuclear power plants set to close in April 2021, leaving the community with a tax revenue hole of millions of dollars annually, Port Cortlandt is being viewed as a much needed source of funding, and a generator of new jobs in the region.
“This project could not have come at a better time, especially after the announcement of the closure of Indian Point Energy Center and pending loss of 1,000 jobs,” said Thomas Carey, President of the Westchester/Putnam Central Labor Body AFL-CIO. “This project will require a skilled workforce, which means high paying jobs to those who need it most. This is a very exciting project to many of us in the building trades as we look forward to the future energy needs of not only Westchester County but all across the country.”
The funding up for grabs is part of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s commitment to developing 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2035.
“The combined offshore wind and port infrastructure 2020 RFP is a terrific opportunity for offshore wind developers and their supply chain to team up with one or more of the prequalified ports, such as Port Cortlandt, to generate competitive proposals that maximize investments in New York and its talented workforce,” said Joe Martens, Director of the New York Offshore Wind Alliance.
Developers maintain the physical and environmental attributes of Port Cortlandt make the site prime for development. Sitting alongside a deep-water channel, the proposed site offers natural protection from storm surges and flooding, and the unused property promises to require low construction and operational costs. The inclusion of adjacent, contiguous properties could allow for a phased development exceeding 180 acres in total.
“We are pleased to be leading a robust initiative to bring green jobs and renewable energy to the Hudson Valley,” said Michael P. Lee, President of AKRF, a consulting firm contributing to the project. “Our team looks forward to developing an offshore wind supply chain port serving the northeast coast, delivering cleaner energy, and helping create nearly a thousand new jobs.”
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) expects New York’s first two offshore wind ports to be operational by 2024.
Rick has more than 40 years’ experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, running the gamut from politics and crime to sports and human interest. He has been an editor at Examiner Media since 2012. Read more from Rick’s editor-author bio here. Read Rick’s work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/pezzullo_rick-writer/
