Mayor Mitchell on Offshore Wind, How to Spend New Bedford’s COVID Relief [OPINION] – wbsm.com

There has been a lot of buzz lately aroundthe Port ofNew Bedford. From theOffshore Wind Institutetothe power plant redevelopmentand the landmark project labor agreement with Vineyard Wind, New Bedford is on the precipice of making its port a national leader not just in fishing, but in clean energy as well.

Recently, I was joined on-air by Mayor Jon Mitchell to talk about the recent big announcementsatthe waterfront. Mayor Mitchell has repeatedly calledoffshore wind an opportunity for New Bedford to capitalize on what it does best,which is fostering a thriving port economy and leveragingour shoreline assets to createmarketable economic development opportunities.

While there may be tensions between ourgreat fishing industry and offshore wind, it is important to stress that this will be a mutually beneficial relationship.

Offshore wind isn'tjust an economic opportunity for New Bedford and the region, but a necessary measure in mitigating the disastrousresults of our seemingly intractable climate crisis, which is already having a noticeable impact on our marine ecosystem and fishing.

Mitchell and I discussed these topics, as well as the recent survey his office released asking New Bedford residents how they would like to see the city's nearly $65 million relieffrom theAmerican Rescue Plan Act spent, which he described as a "once in a generation opportunity."

You can listen to the full conversation here:

Marcus Ferro is the host of The Marcus Ferro Show airing Saturdays on 1420 WBSM from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact him at marcusferrolaw@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

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Mayor Mitchell on Offshore Wind, How to Spend New Bedford's COVID Relief [OPINION] - wbsm.com