Comment from Neal Lewis , Sustainability Institute @ Molloy College

The Sustainability Institute at Molloy College strongly supports efforts to advance responsibly-sited offshore wind power off the NY coast. Untapped offshore wind energy resources along the Atlantic coast can play an important role in powering homes and businesses while reducing pollution, creating good-paying jobs, and moving our states and our nation toward energy independence. A 2010 OCEANA report showed that offshore wind can provide domestic energy that is cleaner and more sustainable than offshore drilling, while creating permanent jobs and bolstering our economy. The report shows that offshore wind developments off the U.S. Atlantic coastline could create between 133,000 and 212,000 jobs per year right here in the US. The report demonstrates that our oceans can be an important part of the renewable portfolio. Moving away from fossil fuels and towards offshore wind is vital for the United States to have a clean, safe, and sustainable energy future. Clean offshore wind energy will make our region more secure by limiting dangerous climate-changing emissions and help avoid more climate-fueled disasters like Superstorm Sandy. By making offshore wind power a reality, we can shift towards a clean energy future, protect our environment, combat climate change and bring new job opportunities to New York. We urge that BOEM take the necessary steps to facilitate the opportunity to bring offshore wind power to New York and locate wind energy projects in areas that are the most appropriate environmentally. We believe the lease should provide the opportunity for wind energy generation in the largest area available based upon the limitations of shipping lanes and environmental considerations. We also believe that the amount of energy to potentially be generated should not be limited by the lease, but instead should be limited only be what can fit into the lease area. Thank you for you for considering the comments of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy College.