HJ605: National Offshore Wind Technology Center; General Assembly to support establishing in Hampton Roads.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 605
Expressing the support of the General Assembly for the development of offshore wind energy resources adjacent to the shores of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 4, 2011
Agreed to by the Senate, February 22, 2011

 

WHEREAS, the offshore wind energy industry is a burgeoning industry in the United States, and specifically on the East Coast of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has been found to have off its coast an ideal wind resource for offshore wind energy and both research and industry experts alike have determined that the Commonwealth is an ideal location for development of offshore wind energy; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has off its coast the Outer Continental Shelf, which because it is long and shallow allows for less costly and more efficient construction of a wind energy generation facility; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is home to a robust grid with a 520KV transmission station accessible to the coast; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has the premiere maritime industry on the East Coast, which is ideally suited to handle all manufacturing and supply chain needs for the construction of wind generation facilities off the coast of the Commonwealth and the entire Eastern seaboard; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is home to the largest military-industrial complex in the United States, which provides local industry with a skilled workforce as service members transition to civilian work; and

WHEREAS, more than 200 potential supply chain companies located in the area are suited to manufacturing to meet the needs of an offshore wind energy industry; and

WHEREAS, the development of offshore wind farms will lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and immense opportunities for economic development and provide a renewable, sustainable source of energy with minimal impact to the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, along with the United States Department of Defense, the United States Coast Guard and other stakeholders have determined a location off the Virginia coast that is compatible with other ocean uses and is of suitable size and location for offshore wind energy development; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is in an ideal position to be the leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States, and specifically the East Coast; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, local utilities, and other industry members have established the National Offshore Wind Technology Center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center being developed in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is filling a void of technology development and demonstration in the offshore wind industry in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be conducting turbine testing and certification, metocean data research, environmental impact research, and operational research; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will provide opportunities to test and mitigate potential issues with radar and other homeland security concerns; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will establish a national certification for offshore wind turbines that does not currently exist in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Hampton Roads, Virginia, is the ideal location in the United States for such a demonstration and technology center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be the catalyst to accelerate offshore wind technology development in the United States; and

WHEREAS, this technology center will raise the profile of Virginia in the offshore wind industry in the United States; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly express its support for the development of offshore wind energy resources adjacent to the shores of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly pledge to continue to advocate for the National Offshore Wind Technology Center and support the Commonwealth's role as a leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly support a goal of the development of 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2025; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Robert McDonnell, the Virginia Congressional Delegation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting that the Governor, the Delegation, the DOE, and the DOI further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter during their deliberations.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 605
AMENDMENT IN THE NATURE OF A SUBSTITUTE
(Proposed by the House Committee on Rules
on February 1, 2011)
(Patron Prior to Substitute--Delegate Cosgrove)
Expressing the support of the General Assembly for the development of offshore wind energy resources adjacent to the shores of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia.

WHEREAS, the offshore wind energy industry is a burgeoning industry in the United States, and specifically on the East Coast of the United States; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has been found to have off its coast an ideal wind resource for offshore wind energy and both research and industry experts alike have determined that the Commonwealth is an ideal location for development of offshore wind energy; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has off its coast the Outer Continental Shelf, which because it is long and shallow allows for less costly and more efficient construction of a wind energy generation facility; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is home to a robust grid with a 520KV transmission station accessible to the coast; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth has the premiere maritime industry on the East Coast, which is ideally suited to handle all manufacturing and supply chain needs for the construction of wind generation facilities off the coast of the Commonwealth and the entire Eastern seaboard; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is home to the largest military-industrial complex in the United States, which provides local industry with a skilled workforce as service members transition to civilian work; and

WHEREAS, more than 200 potential supply chain companies located in the area are suited to manufacturing to meet the needs of an offshore wind energy industry; and

WHEREAS, the development of offshore wind farms will lead to the creation of thousands of jobs and immense opportunities for economic development and provide a renewable, sustainable source of energy with minimal impact to the environment; and

WHEREAS, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement, a division of the United States Department of the Interior, along with the United States Department of Defense, the United States Coast Guard and other stakeholders have determined a location off the Virginia coast that is compatible with other ocean uses and is of suitable size and location for offshore wind energy development; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is in an ideal position to be the leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States, and specifically the East Coast; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, local utilities, and other industry members have established the National Offshore Wind Technology Center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center being developed in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is filling a void of technology development and demonstration in the offshore wind industry in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be conducting turbine testing and certification, metocean data research, environmental impact research, and operational research; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will provide opportunities to test and mitigate potential issues with radar and other homeland security concerns; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will establish a national certification for offshore wind turbines that does not currently exist in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Hampton Roads, Virginia, is the ideal location in the United States for such a demonstration and technology center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be the catalyst to accelerate offshore wind technology development in the United States; and

WHEREAS, this technology center will raise the profile of Virginia in the offshore wind industry in the United States; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly express its support for the development of offshore wind energy resources adjacent to the shores of the Commonwealth of Virginia and the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly pledge to continue to advocate for the National Offshore Wind Technology Center and support the Commonwealth's role as a leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the General Assembly support a goal of the development of 3,000 megawatts of offshore wind power by 2025; and, be it

RESOLVED FINALLY, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Robert McDonnell, the Virginia Congressional Delegation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting that the Governor, the Delegation, the DOE, and the DOI further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter during their deliberations.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 605
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 11, 2011
Expressing support for the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
Patron-- Cosgrove

Referred to Committee on Rules

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth is in an ideal position to be the leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States, and specifically the East Coast; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Virginia Coastal Energy Research Consortium, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, local utilities, and other industry members have established the National Offshore Wind Technology Center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center being developed in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is filling a void of technology development and demonstration in the offshore wind industry in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be conducting turbine testing and certification, metocean data research, environmental impact research and operational research; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will provide opportunities to test and mitigate potential issues with radar and other homeland security concerns; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will establish a national certification for offshore wind turbines that does not currently exist in the United States; and

WHEREAS, Hampton Roads, Virginia, is the ideal location in the United States for such a demonstration and technology center; and

WHEREAS, the National Offshore Wind Technology Center will be the catalyst to accelerate offshore wind technology development in the United States; and

WHEREAS, this technology center will raise the profile of Virginia in the offshore wind industry in the United States; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly expresses support for the establishment of a National Offshore Wind Technology Center in Hampton Roads, Virginia, and that the General Assembly will continue to advocate for the National Offshore Wind Technology Center and support the Commonwealth's role as a leader in the offshore wind energy industry in the United States; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates transmit a copy of this resolution to Governor Robert McDonnell, the Virginia Congressional Delegation, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), and the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) requesting that the Governor, the Delegation, the DOE, and the DOI further disseminate copies of this resolution to their respective constituents so that they may be apprised of the sense of the General Assembly of Virginia in this matter during their deliberations.

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