Whereas, the state of New Hampshire has committed to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050, but has yet to develop a plan to achieve that goal, and needs to work toward a sustainable energy system to ensure protection of the health of its people, environment, and economy before this date; and

Whereas, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) resolved in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 to 45 percent below 1990 emissions by 2030; and

Whereas, the Department of Energy has determined that the Gulf of Maine has a total potential wind power capacity in excess of 200,000 megawatts within 50 miles of the coasts of New Hampshire, Maine, and northeast Massachusetts, and that utilizing just a small percentage of this potential, combined with other renewable resources, could provide most of the future power needs of our region; and

Whereas, operation of floating wind farms 10 to 50 miles off our coast is expected to have much less impact on our environment and public health relative to existing conventional power sources, as well as create less aesthetic concern than terrestrial wind farms; and

Whereas, development and operation of offshore wind farms have the potential to create large numbers of jobs and other economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor and other New Hampshire coastal communities; and

Whereas, a bipartisan New Hampshire legislative study committee report in 2015 concluded that "The wind resource off of New Hampshire's coast has the potential to generate significant amounts of electricity," and that "offshore wind development has the potential to generate significant economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor . . ," recommending that the governor request formation of an intergovernmental task force and stakeholder process as the first step in planning for regional offshore wind development; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

That the New Hampshire general court supports efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast and urges Governor Sununu to make a formal request to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to form a task force and stakeholder process to plan for regional offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine; and

That the director of the office of strategic initiatives, or designee, be the lead for the state of New Hampshire in working with BOEM and assembling a group of stakeholders to participate in the task force.

Whereas, the state of New Hampshire has committed to an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050, but has yet to develop a plan to achieve that goal, and needs to work toward a sustainable energy system to ensure protection of the health of its people, environment, and economy before this date; and

Whereas, the New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers (NEG/ECP) resolved in 2015 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 to 45 percent below 1990 emissions by 2030; and

Whereas, the Department of Energy has determined that the Gulf of Maine has a total potential wind power capacity in excess of 200,000 megawatts within 50 miles of the coasts of New Hampshire, Maine, and northeast Massachusetts, and that utilizing just a small percentage of this potential, combined with other renewable resources, could provide most of the future power needs of our region; and

Whereas, operation of floating wind farms 10 to 50 miles off our coast is expected to have much less impact on our environment and public health relative to existing conventional power sources, as well as create less aesthetic concern than terrestrial wind farms; and

Whereas, development and operation of offshore wind farms have the potential to create large numbers of jobs and other economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor and other New Hampshire coastal communities; and

Whereas, a bipartisan New Hampshire legislative study committee report in 2015 concluded that "The wind resource off of New Hampshire's coast has the potential to generate significant amounts of electricity," and that "offshore wind development has the potential to generate significant economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor . . ," recommending that the governor request formation of an intergovernmental task force and stakeholder process as the first step in planning for regional offshore wind development; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

That the New Hampshire general court supports efforts to develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast and urges Governor Sununu to make a formal request to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to form a task force and stakeholder process to plan for regional offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine; and

That the director of the office of strategic initiatives, or designee, be the lead for the state of New Hampshire in working with BOEM and assembling a group of stakeholders to participate in the task force.