SCHUMER TO BRING LONG ISLANDER ALESHANDRA FERNANDES, A UNION IRONWORKER FOR OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS, AS HIS PERSONAL GUEST TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

Aleshandra Fernandes's Job Working On Offshore Wind Projects Has Faced Repeated Delays Because Of Trump's Continued Attacks On Offshore Wind And American Energy At Large

Schumer Says Trump Admin's Reckless Attempts To Halt Offshore Wind Projects, Including New York's Empire Wind 1 And Sunrise Wind, Kills Jobs Like Aleshandra's, Raises Energy Costs & Threatens Grid Reliability

Schumer: Interrupting Offshore Wind Projects Not Only Puts Electricity For 1.1 Million Homes At Risk, But It Impacts The Livelihood Of Hardworking New Yorkers Like Aleshandra

U.S. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer today announced he will bring Long Islander Aleshandra Fernandes, a union ironworker for offshore wind projects, as his personal guest to attend President Trump's State of the Union. Trump's Department of the Interior (DOI) has abruptly paused leases for five offshore wind projects, including two off the coast of New York, threatening to raise electricity bills, kill good-paying union jobs, and undermine grid reliability. Earlier this month, Trump received his 5th straight loss in the courts in his crusade to stop offshore wind and kill thousands of jobs, allowing New York's Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind Projects to resume construction.

"Dedicated union workers like Aleshandra have been faced with extreme job uncertainty as Trump has ramped up his attacks on offshore wind projects," said Senator Schumer. "His repeated attempts to halt fully permitted, under-construction offshore wind projects risks permanent harm, including increasing electricity costs for families, job elimination, and weakened electric grid reliability in New York and across the country."

Recent analyses show that Americans could be forced to pay $45 billion more for energy over the next decade if these offshore wind projects are blocked from completion. Offshore wind helps bolster reliability margins, keep the lights on, and keep prices lower and more predictable, mitigating price spikes so families aren't surprised with sky high energy bills.

"Trump is losing his war against offshore wind and I won't stop fighting to make sure these projects and the thousands of good-paying jobs they create move forward to help reduce energy costs for the whole country," Schumer added.

"I'm proud to be a Union Ironworker, and I'm proud of the work we've done on offshore wind," said Aleshandra Fernandes. "These projects mean real jobs for real people. They mean paychecks that support families like mine. When these projects get slowed down or held up, it's not politicians who feel it first. It's me and people just like me. It's wondering if the next layoff call is coming or how we're putting food on the table next week. We just want to work. We want to build."

Aleshandra is from Southampton, NY and has been a union ironworker for nearly a decade. She worked on the South Fork Wind project (Ørsted) and spent one month at sea working on each turbine. Her job on Sunrise Wind has been delayed multiple times because of Trump's repeated interference.

Schumer said construction is underway for Empire Wind 1, by Norwegian developer Equinor, and Sunrise Wind, by Danish developer Ørsted, and would deliver a combined 1,734 megawatts of power to New York's electric grid, enough to power approximately 1.1 million homes. If the projects are paused by President Trump again, thousands of union workers risk losing their jobs and tens of millions of dollars in wages.

Schumer warned halting these projects comes at a time of rising energy costs and shrinking reliability margins for all New Yorkers. The New York Independent System Operator (NYISO), the nonpartisan, independent electric reliability entity for New York State, has cited both Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind as projects critical to ensuring near term reliability in the New York City and Long Island regions, respectively. Completion of these projects will also help lower energy bills for New Yorkers, with expected savings reaching up to $77 million in a single cold month, when gas is most expensive and least available in the Northeast.

"New York's energy needs are vast, and so is the need to protect New York's workers and families," Schumer said.

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