Workers Call on Federal Government to Stop Blocking Offshore Wind During National “Yes to Wind” Week

Workers on active offshore wind projects in the Atlantic Ocean, including a Maine resident, joined clean energy and organized labor groups during the national “Yes to Wind” Week of Action in calling on the federal government to immediately withdraw its opposition to offshore wind projects in the Gulf of Maine and southern New England.  

New sources of domestic energy are needed to buffer households and businesses against rising electricity costs and bring new jobs to Maine. Offshore wind is one of the most promising sources of new domestic energy, offering a singular opportunity to reduce reliance on natural gas, lower electricity bills for families and local businesses, and create good-paying jobs for Mainers.

"Ironworkers Local 7 stands ready to supply the work needed for building, installing and maintaining future offshore wind projects in the Gulf of Maine," said Grant Provost, Business Agent for Ironworkers Local 7 and Vice President of the Maine AFL-CIO. "As energy prices continue to rise, more than ever it is important to invest in sources of renewable, homegrown energy, and the union jobs that will be critical in the future of our energy infrastructure."

“A job in the offshore wind industry in Maine would mean I could see my kids grow up, and my kids could have the option of going into an industry that keeps them employed in Maine while also helping to do something good for the environment,” said Chad Ward, a resident of Thorndike, Maine, and an Ironworkers Local 7 member who commutes to work on offshore wind turbines in coastal Virginia due to the lack of work for him closer to home.

Wind technologies represent the largest share of the renewable energy workforce in Maine. The construction of wind projects in the Gulf of Maine, as already seen elsewhere in the region, will continue to create thousands of good-paying, new jobs for Mainers and will deliver millions of dollars in community benefits to local towns struggling with their municipal budgets.  

Bringing more offshore wind to electricity customers in New England will lower costs for everyone, including Mainers. A study released in September 2025 showed that offshore wind power would have generated massive savings during high-demand periods, lowering New England electricity prices by 11% and delivering $400 million in wholesale market savings in just three winter months. Studies have shown that stalling progress on offshore wind actually leads to higher electricity prices. For example, the State of Connecticut estimated that the Trump Administration’s plan to cancel Revolution Wind, which is already 80 percent completed, could cost electricity customers across New England, including Maine, $500 million per year in higher supply costs.  

Simultaneously, the economic and human costs of climate change continue to mount for Maine families, businesses, and communities. This year, record-breaking, persistent and severe drought conditions have afflicted the entire state, increasing wildfire risk, imperiling crops, and threatening broader ecosystems.