This bill proposes significant changes to the management and development of offshore wind energy in New Hampshire. It removes the Office of Offshore Wind Industry Development from the Office of Energy Innovation and repeals the Offshore Wind Industry Workforce Training Center Committee and the Offshore and Port Development Commission. The bill explicitly prohibits the development of offshore wind infrastructure in the state, as indicated by the new legal language that states, "Offshore wind infrastructure is hereby prohibited in the state of New Hampshire." Additionally, it amends various sections of existing law to reflect these changes, including the removal of references to offshore wind initiatives from the Renewable Energy Fund and the Purchased Power Agreement provisions.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the responsibilities of the Office of Energy Innovation, which will now focus on clean energy resources in the Gulf of Maine without any mention of offshore wind development. The amendments also include the repeal of specific statutes related to offshore wind workforce training and development, effectively dismantling the framework that previously supported offshore wind initiatives. The act is set to take effect 60 days after its passage, signaling a decisive shift away from offshore wind energy projects in New Hampshire.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 79-E:1, 79-E:4, 79-E:5