In partnership with the federal government, Gov. Wes Moore signed an agreement Friday to commit to securing more lease areas for offshore wind development in the Atlantic Ocean.

“Maryland is serious about offshore wind because we’re serious about actually achieving our goals — not just because of what it means for the environment, but also importantly what it means for our economy,” Moore, a Democrat, said Friday at the State House in Annapolis.

Flanked by U.S. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi, U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Rep. John Sarbanes and Maryland Department of Natural Resources Secretary Josh Kurtz, the governor and Liz Klein, director of the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, signed a memorandum of understanding to commit to find new lease areas for offshore wind projects along Maryland’s coastline. Van Hollen and Sarbanes are also Democrats.

To the governor, engaging in the expansion of offshore wind also will ensure job creation in manufacturing components for wind turbines, the development a greener economy and equality among Marylanders.

“This is about how can we come up with an idea and a clear understanding that climate justice is economic justice, and that both those two things live side-by-side,” Moore said. “By moving in partnership in offshore wind, we can do more than help people to see themselves in the consequences of climate change. We can actually help to help them see themselves in the progress that climate change and climate action actually produces, as well.”

According to Haaland, Friday’s signing furthers Democratic President Joe Biden’s goal of achieving 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030 — “with good paying jobs in local communities at the heart of that development,” she said.

Zaidi said that people across different industries are “stacking hands” to achieve these ambitious environmental goals, noting that, while Friday’s ceremony had plenty of environmentalists in attendance, union representation from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers was present too.

“We’ve got a chance for us not just to put steel in the water, but to put steel in the spine of the American middle class,” said Zaidi.

The Department of the Interior has approved eight offshore wind projects in federal waters since Biden took office in 2021. Haaland said that, once complete, they will produce enough renewable energy to power nearly 4 million homes.

The agency announced a new offshore wind leasing schedule in April that will take place over the next five years. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is to hold at least 12 offshore wind energy lease sales during that time period, four of which are slated for 2024.

According to Van Hollen, the bureau completed environmental assessments this week for two potential lease areas on the Delmarva coast that could provide energy for 2.2 million homes.

Moore said that, upon his inauguration in January 2023, his administration committed to “quadruple our offshore wind energy goals” in an effort to turn Maryland “from a net importer of clean energy to a net exporter of clean energy.” Moore also unveiled a pollution reduction plan at the end of his first year in office with the goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.

“While we are proud of the bold and ambitious goals, … the data is very clear: you cannot accomplish that if you do not have a proper investment and proper partnership in offshore wind,” he said.

The governor started and ended the week with major environmental announcements.

Tuesday, Moore signed an executive order to establish a new regional cap for carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and phase out gas-fired furnaces for home use, among other measures.

Moore said Tuesday’s order will reaffirm Maryland’s commitment to “achieving 100% clean energy by 2035.”

While Friday’s ceremony celebrated economic and environmental possibility, it also offered a chance to reflect on the world that today’s leaders will leave behind for the next generation.

Zaidi said that young people have a “justified” sense of “doom” because they are accustomed to orange skies, inhaling wildfire smoke and receiving push alerts on their phones warning of floods, hurricanes and tornadoes.

But Klein noted that they are willing to push toward a better climate — a lesson she learned from her school-aged daughter who googled her during a lecture on internet safety.

“She said, actually, to me with a very serious face, ‘Mommy, I did not see anything recently from you talking about what you’re going to do about the climate crisis,’ ” Klein recalled. “And then she said, ‘You need to get on that.’ ”

“And so, every day I show up to work with that in mind.”