On April 21, the County Council of Erie County, Pennsylvania voted unanimously to join the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation (LEEDCo), the non-profit organization based in Northeast Ohio leading the effort to develop the offshore wind industry in Lake Erie.
Erie County becomes the first county outside of Ohio to join the public-private partnership.
Membership allows Erie County to coordinate with LEEDCo’s other members and partners to shape a long-term strategy for developing offshore wind projects in Lake Erie.
Other LEEDCo members include the Ohio lakefront counties of Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Lake and Lorain, the City of Cleveland, NorTech and the Cleveland Foundation. County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper will represent Erie County on the LEEDCo Board of Directors.
“Offshore wind is our region’s most abundant clean energy resource, and developing projects in Lake Erie will create jobs, boost the economy, and clean up the environment,” said County Executive Dahlkemper . “Joining LEEDCo gives Erie County a seat at the table to ensure that our local environmental and economic benefits are maximized and that the best interests of the public are protected as the offshore wind industry grows.”
With the addition of Erie County, approximately 2.2 million acres of Lake Erie are now within the LEEDCo borders.
LEEDCo is currently developing a six-turbine pilot project known as Icebreaker. The organization secured a submerged lands lease for the project in 2014 at a site approximately 7 to 10 miles off the coast of downtown Cleveland. Icebreaker is the first step toward building the offshore wind industry in Lake Erie.
Image: LEEDCo