Dear Chair and Members of the Committee:
On behalf of Lynnhaven River NOW, a Virginia Beach–based nonprofit dedicated to clean water, healthy coastal ecosystems, and climate resilience, I urge you to support SB 25, the Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Program and Fund.
Virginia is on the cusp of becoming a national offshore wind hub. Economic analyses for CVOW estimate on the order of 900 jobs and more than $140 million in economic output annually during construction, and about 1,100 long-term jobs and nearly $210 million in yearly output once the project is operating – much of this concentrated in Hampton Roads. These jobs span construction, maritime trades, advanced manufacturing, and long-term operations and maintenance.
SB 25 is the logical workforce counterpart to that investment. By directing the Virginia Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources for the offshore wind industry – covering both technical and soft skills – the bill provides a coordinated framework for preparing Virginians for these high-quality careers, with explicit direction to coordinate with partners and prioritize veterans, local workers, and residents of economically disadvantaged communities. The Department is already working with organizations such as the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, community colleges, and the Mid-Atlantic Wind Training Alliance to build Global Wind Organization (GWO)-aligned training pathways for offshore wind jobs. Virginia now hosts two in-state GWO training facilities, and demand will grow as CVOW moves into operations, and additional projects are planned.
SB 25 also positions the Commonwealth to make the most significant federal and regional investments. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded the Virginia Department of Energy approximately $8.38 million through the Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) program for the Hampton Roads Energy Workforce Development Initiative, with a goal of connecting about 350 residents to clean-energy jobs. The Hampton Roads Workforce Council has likewise secured an $11 million U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge grant to build a regional maritime and clean-energy workforce system, along with a Department of Labor Apprenticeship Building America grant to create a regional apprenticeship hub in critical industries such as maritime, manufacturing, and related sectors. SB 25 gives the Department a clear mandate to align these resources with offshore wind workforce needs, avoid duplication, and fully integrate offshore wind into this broader training ecosystem.
For coastal communities like Virginia Beach, where sea-level rise and recurrent flooding already threaten homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, offshore wind is not an abstract concept – it is part of how we keep our communities livable while growing the regional economy. SB 25 will help ensure that the people who live here are first in line for the good-paying jobs that this industry brings, while providing the trained, safety-certified workforce that developers and manufacturers need to invest in Virginia.
We respectfully urge you to report SB 25 and help secure a just, locally rooted clean-energy transition for Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth.
Sincerely,
Dylan Mason // Public Policy Manager // Lynnhaven River NOW
Dear Chair and Members of the Committee: On behalf of Lynnhaven River NOW, a Virginia Beach–based nonprofit dedicated to clean water, healthy coastal ecosystems, and climate resilience, I urge you to support SB 25, the Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Program and Fund. Virginia is on the cusp of becoming a national offshore wind hub. Economic analyses for CVOW estimate on the order of 900 jobs and more than $140 million in economic output annually during construction, and about 1,100 long-term jobs and nearly $210 million in yearly output once the project is operating – much of this concentrated in Hampton Roads. These jobs span construction, maritime trades, advanced manufacturing, and long-term operations and maintenance. SB 25 is the logical workforce counterpart to that investment. By directing the Virginia Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources for the offshore wind industry – covering both technical and soft skills – the bill provides a coordinated framework for preparing Virginians for these high-quality careers, with explicit direction to coordinate with partners and prioritize veterans, local workers, and residents of economically disadvantaged communities. The Department is already working with organizations such as the Hampton Roads Workforce Council, community colleges, and the Mid-Atlantic Wind Training Alliance to build Global Wind Organization (GWO)-aligned training pathways for offshore wind jobs. Virginia now hosts two in-state GWO training facilities, and demand will grow as CVOW moves into operations, and additional projects are planned. SB 25 also positions the Commonwealth to make the most significant federal and regional investments. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy awarded the Virginia Department of Energy approximately $8.38 million through the Transmission Siting and Economic Development (TSED) program for the Hampton Roads Energy Workforce Development Initiative, with a goal of connecting about 350 residents to clean-energy jobs. The Hampton Roads Workforce Council has likewise secured an $11 million U.S. Economic Development Administration Good Jobs Challenge grant to build a regional maritime and clean-energy workforce system, along with a Department of Labor Apprenticeship Building America grant to create a regional apprenticeship hub in critical industries such as maritime, manufacturing, and related sectors. SB 25 gives the Department a clear mandate to align these resources with offshore wind workforce needs, avoid duplication, and fully integrate offshore wind into this broader training ecosystem. For coastal communities like Virginia Beach, where sea-level rise and recurrent flooding already threaten homes, businesses, and critical infrastructure, offshore wind is not an abstract concept – it is part of how we keep our communities livable while growing the regional economy. SB 25 will help ensure that the people who live here are first in line for the good-paying jobs that this industry brings, while providing the trained, safety-certified workforce that developers and manufacturers need to invest in Virginia. We respectfully urge you to report SB 25 and help secure a just, locally rooted clean-energy transition for Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth. Sincerely, Dylan Mason // Public Policy Manager // Lynnhaven River NOW