July 17, 2019 — With momentum building for East Coast wind power, the American Wind Energy Association announced that Laura Smith Morton will lead policy and regulatory efforts on behalf of the U.S. industry’s offshore wind sector.
Morton assumed her new role on July 8 as AWEA’s senior director for policy and regulatory affairs for offshore wind, as Vineyard Wind, Ørsted and other developers push to obtain permits and begin developing their federal leases off New England and the Mid-Atlantic states.
In a statement from AWEA, Morton said she is happy to be working again on offshore wind, after more than 10 years of experience in the field as a lawyer and in senior roles at the federal Department of Energy, Council on Environmental Quality and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
“It’s immensely gratifying to be back working on offshore wind issues. As this new American energy industry scales up, we must strike the right balance with policies that encourage development, job creation, and the revitalization of coastal infrastructure while also engaging with other ocean users to ensure all can prosper,” said Morton. “I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work so this industry can put more steel in the water.”
Morton contributed to the original National Offshore Wind Strategy published by the DOE and Department of the Interior, which charted a course to build the U.S. offshore wind industry, and led multiple interagency teams charged with creating efficiencies in the permitting process for clean energy projects.