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April is Earth Month, and the theme for 2023 is “Invest in Our Planet.” Never has there been a more timely, urgent, or worthwhile cause.
This month, we’re spotlighting our investment in the clean energy future. Leading Light Wind is a bold vision for the East Coast, and as the only American-led project in the New York Bight, we are proud to be focused on making transformational investments in education, infrastructure, workforce training, and more.
Keep reading to learn about how we are investing in a just, clean energy transition that protects our environment and supports the communities where we live and work.
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Join us for a special event on Earth Day at the Staten Island Children’s Museum on Saturday, April 22, 2023.
Leading Light Wind is sponsoring a science workshop during both the morning and afternoon sessions at the Staten Island Children's Museum (SICM) where visitors can learn about wind power, participate in giveaways, and make crafts such as anemometers at the Wind Power Exploration Station. Leading Light Wind will be joined by Gotham Whale and the WhaleMobile on the SICM green to bring attendees interactive educational programming on whales and to highlight the importance of protecting our oceans. Learn more here.
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From Superstorm Sandy to the Future of Offshore Wind
Investing in Our Infrastructure at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
Leading Light Wind recently announced plans to redevelop and construct an offshore wind Operations & Maintenance (O&M) facility at Brooklyn Navy Yard's (BNY) Dry Dock 4, which was destroyed during Superstorm Sandy. To learn more, click here.
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Cultivating the Future of New York's OSW Workforce
Investing in Our Offshore Wind Workforce in Staten Island
Leading Light Wind recently announced three critical initiatives that will establish Staten Island as the center of the American offshore wind industry. To learn more about our investment in Staten Island, click here.
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Our Environmental Survey Program
Investing in Safe and Responsible Offshore Wind Development
Leading Light Wind's inaugural environmental survey program is underway. The program establishes multiple data collections for site characterization and project design. The data enables Leading Light Wind to identify, avoid, and minimize potential impacts to the environment, wildlife, and communities throughout project development, construction, and operations.
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Key highlights:
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Conducted by Fugro, a series of benthic, geophysical, and geotechnical surveys will study the ecosystems, marine habitat, seabed, and soil conditions of the lease area and offshore cable routes.
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Mariner Updates will be disseminated in advance of all survey activities to ensure ongoing coordination with local fisheries and maritime stakeholders throughout the duration of survey work.
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Protected Species Observers (PSOs) will be aboard all survey vessels throughout the duration of the program. PSOs will monitor the area around the vessel during survey operations and vessel transits, record observations of protected species, and oversee protective procedures. Qualified Marine Archeologists (QMAs) and scout vessels will also be employed to ensure our activities are completed in a coordinated and responsible way.
Through robust science and stakeholder engagement, Leading Light Wind is committed to practicing responsible development. To learn more, visit the For Mariners tab on our website.
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In celebration of Women’s History Month last month, we spotlighted our team members Katya Samoteskul, Carmen Bernett, and Casey Fontana.
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Katya Samoteskul
Senior Manager, Offshore Development
Katya spearheads the project’s interconnection and transmission development efforts.
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Carmen C. Bernett, PhD, ENV SP
Senior Manager, Environmental Compliance & Strategy
Carmen leads federal agency consultations and offshore wind permitting for the project.
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Casey Fontana, PhD
Technical Manager, Offshore Siting & Energy Analysis
Casey oversees turbine siting and layout optimization, wind resource assessment, and energy yield analysis for Leading Light Wind.
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Leading Light Wind’s Investments at the Brooklyn Navy Yard
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Leading Light Wind’s Project Director, Wes Jacobs, was interviewed by News 12 Brooklyn to discuss the project’s proposed operation and maintenance facility at Brooklyn Navy Yard's Dry Dock 4. "This is an opportunity to leverage a part of New York City's historic waterfront for the next generation of energy, so this entire dock will be revitalized to support the clean energy transition," said Jacobs.
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“Our proposed investment at the Brooklyn Navy Yard represents an opportunity to reactivate significant New York City infrastructure and facilitate a just transition for American workers and businesses,” said Wes Jacobs, Project Director for Leading Light Wind. "It illustrates the full power of a burgeoning offshore wind industry in New York: this is not just about clean energy – this is about jobs, revitalization, and sustained economic benefits for decades to come."
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Leading Light Wind was featured in North American Windpower following the release of the first rendering of our proposed offshore wind Operations & Maintenance (O&M) facility at Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Dry Dock 4. In addition to redeveloping Dry Dock 4, we will support the Brooklyn Navy Yard’s Albert C. Wiltshire Employment Center with over $800,000 of proposed funding that will fund recruitment efforts and training programs.
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Leading Light Wind’s Investments in Staten Island
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"We have to start investing in STEM education and workforce training today to ensure that New Yorkers are ready for the coming offshore wind boom. That is why our partnership with the CUNY College of Staten Island is critical to train, educate, and equip capable New Yorkers with the skills necessary to enter the green jobs economy upon graduation,” said Wes Jacobs, Project Director for Leading Light Wind.
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“We applaud the State and City’s leadership in directing resources to Staten Island to catalyze education and training in the offshore wind industry and are proud to bolster these efforts with our own partnership with CUNY CSI,” said Wes Jacobs, Project Director for Leading Light Wind.
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Leading Light Wind was featured in Windpower Engineering and Development following our announcement of three initiatives to establish Staten Island as a hub for the American offshore wind industry. The three initiatives include a proposed $900,000 partnership with CUNY College of Staten Island, an Offshore Wind Scholars Program, and a plan to conduct turbine pre-assembly and marshaling activities at the proposed Arthur Kill Terminal (AKT) facility.
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Following the announcement of our commitment to establish Staten Island as a hub for the offshore wind industry in the U.S., Leading Light Wind received coverage in North American Windpower. The article highlights three initiatives to expand the offshore wind industry in Staten Island as well as our $300 million community benefits program.
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In a recent article in SILive.com, Leading Light Wind was mentioned as one of the company’s submitting proposals for an offshore wind project in New York State, specifically about its supply chain investments in Staten Island.
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We recently attended the NYCEDC Maritime Career Fair and enjoyed getting youth inspired to pursue careers in the offshore wind and maritime industries to build the skilled domestic clean energy workforce for the future.
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Our team was thrilled to attend the 2023 IPF Conference in Baltimore along with our first Offshore Wind Scholars Program participants from CUNY College of Staten Island. The students and our team were able to talk about offshore wind, learn from experts, and explore career opportunities.
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Leading Light Wind team members Sarah Hudak and Kirsten Barnstead attended the Atlantic Estuarine Research Society’s Spring Meeting last month. They participated in an educational tour, attended keynote addresses, and discussed the need for a regional approach to environmental monitoring and research efforts related to offshore wind.
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SIEDC Forum for a Sustainable Future
Leading Light Wind sponsored the SIEDC Forum for a Sustainable Future at Wagner College, where various stakeholders discussed clean energy solutions for Staten Island and NYC. Our team also spent the morning engaging with industry partners and friends to chart a path toward a clean energy future.
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At the NJ Saltwater Fishing Expo, Leading Light Wind had some breakthrough conversations with the fishery community about the future of offshore wind energy on the East Coast. We recognize that there are many questions about the path forward for American energy and want to hear from the fishing community about their ideas and concerns.
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In February, the Leading Light Wind team attended the 2023 Clean Energy DEIJ Summit. We had a great discussion on how to foster an inclusive industry by ensuring business opportunities can be accessed by diverse suppliers. Our team member Jeff Lee Romero had the opportunity to share his expertise on equity-driven approaches to supplier diversity in the renewable energy industry.
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Our Fisheries Liaison Officer, Sarah Hudak, attended the New York American Fisheries (NY-AFS) Society Meeting at Stony Brook University on Long Island to discuss fisheries research and monitoring needs with current and emerging fisheries scientists and managers.
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The Leading Light Wind team attended the NY Seafood Summit at Cornell Cooperative, an event promoting collaboration with industry members, legislators, and marine stakeholders. It was great to meet with a variety of stakeholders and foster relationships with the marine community.
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Our own Jeff Lee Romero was a panelist at The Center for Economic Growth's Offshore Wind event where he highlighted how Leading Light Wind will integrate MWBEs and small businesses into the offshore wind economy.
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NYCares Volunteer Event
The Leading Light Wind team volunteered with NYCares in Staten Island, serving 350+ meals with Project Hospitality in two hours! Our team was grateful to make a positive impact in the neighborhoods where we live and work.
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NYCEDC Boat Tour of Waterfront Infrastructure
Members of the Leading Light Wind team joined the NYCEDC for a boat tour around NYC to learn more about creating resilient waterfront infrastructure. The team had a great time with clean energy leaders from all sectors.
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