Sample Resolution
* Whereas The State of New Hampshire has committed to 80
percent reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050, but has yet
to develop a plan to achieve that goal, and needs to work
toward a sustainable energy system to ensure protection of
the health of its people, environment, and economy before
this date, and
¢ Whereas the federal Department of Energy has determined
that the Gulf of Maine has a total potential wind power
capacity in excess of 200,000 Megawatts within 50 miles of
the coasts of New Hampshire, Maine and northeast
Massachusetts, and that utilizing just a small percentage of
this potential, combined with other renewable resources,
could provide most of the future power needs of our region,
and Whereas operation of floating wind farms 10 to 50 miles
off our coast is expected to have much less impact on our
environment and public health than all existing power
sources, as well as create less aesthetic concern than
terrestrial wind farms, and
Whereas development and operation of offshore wind farms have the
potential to create large numbers of jobs and other economic activity
within Portsmouth Harbor and other NH coastal communities, and
Whereas a bipartisan NH legislative study committee report in 2014
concluded that "The wind resource off of New Hampshire’s coast has the
potential to generate significant amounts of electricity," and that
“offshore wind development has the potential to generate significant
economic activity within Portsmouth Harbor...," recommending that the
Governor request formation of an intergovernmental Task Force and
stakeholder process to plan for regional offshore wind development,
Resolved, the Town/City of supports efforts to
develop wind power off the New Hampshire coast and urges Governor
Sununu to make a formal request to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management (BOEM) to form a Task Force and stakeholder process to
plan for regional offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine.
Further, the Town/City Council will send written notice of support for
this resolution to Governor Sununu within 30 days of its passage.