To: Board of Supervisors
From: County Administrative Office
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Offshore Wind Supply Chain and Worker Readiness
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Direct staff to engage with local community partners to explore and vet opportunities and obligations surrounding the development of local supply chains and the preparedness of the workforce for offshore wind; and
2. Authorize the County Administrative Officer to submit, on behalf of the county and Board of Supervisors, letters of support and requests for funding related to the development of local supply chains and the preparedness of the workforce for offshore wind.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Economic Development ( 1120275)
DISCUSSION:
California maintains a vision of becoming carbon neutral by 2045. This vision has been adopted by state agencies as being necessary in order to sustain prosperity for future generations and to protect the State of California's interests.
In 2020, Governor Newsom furthered this position by signing Executive Order N-82-20 which called for a comprehensive and collaborative strategy to protect climate-vulnerable communities, defend biodiversity, achieve carbon neutrality, and to improve public health, safety, and economic prosperity pertaining to climate change mitigation.
Offshore wind (OSW) has been widely recognized as a tangible and viable vehicle for meeting these climate goals and remains a topic for communities that requires further engagement, research and review. It has been projected California may be able to supply over 100% of its 2004 state electricity consumption through offshore wind sites in waters less than 30 meters in depth at locations within 50 nautical miles offshore.
On Jan. 11, 2021, the Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued a News Release announcing the availability of findings for the Humboldt Wind Energy Area (WEA) which is locat...
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