Congresswoman Chellie Pingree issued the following statement on the announcement by the Obama Administration to approve the Cape Wind windpower project.

I am pleased that Secretary Salazar approved the Cape Wind project and helped to usher in a new era of clean energy.  Maine has such potential here in offshore wind and today’s announcement puts Maine one step closer to developing its offshore, deepwater wind potential. Offshore wind will allow us to produce our own power and sell it to other places. To have renewable, sustainable energy means we don’t have to be dependent on offshore foreign oil. The construction jobs, maintenance jobs, less expensive power, all generated by deep water offshore wind, would greatly benefit the state.