Offshore floating wind turbine in Maine. | Photo credit: Maine Aqua Ventus
Originally published in the Maine Beacon on July 20, 2023
Just before the legislative session wrapped up, the House and Senate gave final approval Wednesday morning to a bill that adds strong labor standards to a sweeping measure that will shape the buildout of Maine’s budding offshore wind industry, sending it to Gov. Janet Mills’ desk.
Advocates say the bill would be a massive win for the state and believe that Mills will sign it.
As Beacon previously reported, LD 1895, sponsored by Sen. Mark Lawrence (D-York), is an omnibus bill that lays out a framework for state procurement of three gigawatts of offshore wind power in the Gulf of Maine by 2040 and construction of a deepwater port for the manufacture of floating wind turbines, as well as protections for wildlife and fishing grounds.
The measure was amended near the end of the legislative session to include higher wage standards for construction jobs created by the port and procurement portions of the legislation. Under the agreement, in order to win bids, construction firms must agree to what is called a community workforce enhancement agreement, wherein they must give the wage and benefits package that has been collectively bargained by local trade unions.
Those changes came after Mills vetoed a separate wind energy bill late last month that included provisions to create good-paying union jobs that could have helped Maine unlock federal money. That veto followed a decision by lawmakers to amend the bill to include project labor agreements, or PLAs, which are meant to prevent low-ball bids from construction firms on taxpayer-funded construction projects by setting wage rates to the prevailing standard.
Mills echoed business lobbyists and the construction industry in her veto letter, claiming PLAs would raise construction costs and produce a “chilling effect” on the wind industry. Labor leaders objected, warning that the governor’s opposition to higher labor standards could instead raise costs by making Maine less competitive for federal dollars set aside by Congress.
However, Mills, labor unions and other advocates continued to negotiate on the issue, coming to the deal reflected in the provisions of LD 1895.
The bill as amended was approved Tuesday by the Senate on a 19-8 vote party line vote. It then went to the House, where it was passed by a 59-40 vote. The measure then received final approval from each chamber early Wednesday morning.
Both labor and climate leaders are hailing the bill as potentially transformative for Maine, noting that the measure will help build out a crucial clean energy source while also providing high-quality jobs for people in the state.
“This new law will be a model for the rest of the nation for how people can come together across differences with common purpose to build a just clean energy economy that works for everyone,” Natural Resources Council of Maine CEO Rebeccah Sanders said.
“Maine has set the stage for a competitive new clean energy industry that will bring thousands of family-supporting jobs, protect the rich array of wildlife in the Gulf of Maine, ensure fishing communities have a voice in the process, and keep us on our trajectory to meet a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2040,” Saunders continued.
Labor leaders are also pleased with the legislation.
“This is a really strong compromise framework that will ensure that we are creating very high quality jobs for Maine workers,” Maine AFL-CIO executive director Matt Schlobohm told Beacon earlier this month. “People will be getting paid good wages, getting good benefits, and have really strong training programs and retirement security.”
Evan Popp studied journalism at Ithaca College and interned at the Progressive magazine, ThinkProgress and the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. He then worked for the Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper before joining Beacon. Evan can be reached at evan@mainebeacon.com.
COMMUNIST PARTY OF MAINE 