Equitable and Responsible Offshore Wind

THE VISION STATEMENT

To realize fossil fuel-free, just and equitable energy systems that will uplift a thriving natural environment and communities today and for future generations.

CORE HUB + THE IMPACT PROJECT OFFSHORE WIND COMMUNITY PILLARS

How can we ensure our natural world thrives?

• Ensure whole communities including natural systems, air, animal and water relatives, marine life sources, and the water itself thrives
• Defend Tribal Nations’ sovereign rights and cultural resources
• Center the people and communities most directly impacted by offshore wind development, the goods movement system, and all elements of the industry cluster including during construction, operations, maintenance, decommissioning, and dismantling. This includes communities both at the coast, portside and inland.
• Uphold focus on future generations (7th generation perspective)

What are we trying to accomplish?

• Legally binding, enforceable additive community benefits and commitments that go above and beyond existing requirements
• Tribal comanagement, community leadership and decision making (self-determination) embedded from the beginning with impacted communities to guide projects’ design, planning, implementation, operation/maintenance, decommissioning/dismantling
• With accountability and enforcement as welcome positive design elements
• Mutually beneficial (for people and environment) economic development approach that includes project lifecycle analysis looking at building for 7 generations to come
• Creating living wage career opportunities through workforce development and training for our communities, with targeted support and priority given to those historically left out or displaced, including:
  • Immigrants
  • Formerly incarcerated individuals
  • Persons with disabilities
  • Persons whose jobs were terminated or displaced due to the project
• Uplifting/restoring/benefiting our communities away from the harms perpetuated through existing port and energy industry practices by:
  • Remediation of existing sites
  • Making energy more accessible and affordable for those most impacted
  • Prevention and response strategies addressing MMIP and human trafficking
• Combatting/curbing climate change, and being in more reciprocal relationship with the environment by:
  • Phasing down and independence from fossil fuels
  • Reducing our energy consumption overall
  • Integrated ecosystem design
  • Prevention of shift to automation

How do we work together? What are our values/governing principles?

• Follow the lead of frontline communities and Tribal Nations (including those not federally acknowledged, state recognized, and federally recognized)
• Continuously informed by and with impacted communities, recognizing their lived experience as critical expertise; as well as by ethically sound research and information rooted in lived experience and cultural knowledge
• In partnership and solidarity across our Long Beach Port and Humboldt Bay regions, which includes sharing lessons, knowledge, resources/documents, and training
• Incorporating learnings from other communities’ experiences and lessons with port offshore wind
• Assist to address Tribal capacity limitations

Below, find a visual guide to the machines behind offshore wind, and the community standards that should shape how they’re built.

This poster breaks it all down: how tall wind turbines actually are, what each part does, how they’re inspected, how long they last, and what happens to them at the end of their life. It also lays out communities’ vision for what equitable offshore wind development should look like, rooted in community benefit, Tribal sovereignty, frontline leadership, and accountability from the start.

Designed to be printed large and put on a wall, or explored screen by screen below.

Download the Digital Edition

Formatted for screens. Easy to read, save, and share online.

UNDERSTANDING THE CEQA

This fact sheet breaks down how CEQA (California’s Environmental Quality Act) works: what triggers a review, who’s responsible for carrying it out, what the process looks like from start to finish, and what protections exist for communities along the way. Flip through it below, or download a copy to share.