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  **For Immediate Release:**   **For Further Information:**

  **June 25, 2007**            **Mark Forest -- Cell:
                               774-487-2534/202-226-7843**
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**ENERGY DEPT APPROVES WIND ENERGY CENTER FOR MASSACHUSETTS**

***Delahunt joins Governor Patrick and Energy Secretary Bodman at State
House Press Conference***

**Washington, D.C. -- Today, Congressman Bill Delahunt joined with U.S.
Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman and Governor Deval Patrick to announce
that Massachusetts has been chosen as a site for a National Renewable
Energy Laboratory Wind Technology Testing Center.**

**"The establishment of this facility will further Massachusetts'
leadership role in the development of renewable energy technology and is
an important step in the expansion of the United States' wind energy
industry," Delahunt said.**

**Over the past year, Delahunt has lead an effort with the support of
the Massachusetts Delegation to urge the Bush Administration to
establish this facility which will become a leading center for large
wind blade testing in North America. It will be located in Charlestown
at the Boston Autoport. The facility will be capable of assessing the
structural integrity and durability of commercial wind turbine blades of
up to 230 feet in length.**

**The testing facility is one component of an overall strategy developed
by the Commonwealth, with help from the University of Massachusetts and
the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, to boost the wind energy
industry in Massachusetts and to also compete successfully in the
development of new deepwater offshore wind energy systems. The United
Kingdom and Germany have been international leaders in developing this
highly competitive sector of the renewable energy industry and are
already building test facilities and have approved a number of larger
scale projects.**

**In a meeting with DOE officials last month, Delahunt touted
Massachusetts as a regional center for economic development in the field
of renewable energy. "With the Commonwealth's highly skilled workforce
along with some of the world's premier research institutions, projects
like this can help us leverage significant business investment and
create an important boost to our region's economy," Delahunt said.**

**The United States Department of Energy will provide \$2 million in
capital equipment and technical assistance as well as staff support to
certify and launch the facility. The Massachusetts Technology
Collaborative will provide more than \$13 million through the Renewable
Energy Trust for construction and start up costs for the center which
will eventually become self-sufficient.**

**Delahunt has outlined several proposals for ocean energy research and
development zones to boost wind, tidal and wave energy development in
Massachusetts. He has advocated several local and national initiatives
to boost use of renewable or "clean" fuels, as well as a number of
community based wind energy projects. He has noted the widespread
interest in towns such as Plymouth, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Barnstable,
Eastham, Norwell, and Nantucket.**

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