Salem is now in the conversation as one of a handful of Massachusetts communities that could be key players as the state vies to become a hub for offshore wind development. 

Gov. Charlie Baker gave Salem a big plug earlier this month when his administration pushed lawmakers to approve the use of $100 million in federal aid for offshore wind infrastructure projects in New Bedford, Somerset, Fall River – and Salem. The first three municipalities have all been talked about for years, but Salem, perhaps best known for its Halloween festivities, is a newcomer to the conversation.

Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said the city’s harbor is ideally suited for offshore wind projects because it has a deep-water channel and no bridges, power lines, or breakwaters that could restrict large vessels from coming and going. “It has a natural harbor that could support the industry,” she said. 

A former coal-fired power plant on the waterfront in Salem has been replaced by a much smaller natural-gas fired facility, freeing up an estimated 42 acres of cleared land – 13.7 acres on the north side of the property and 29 acres on the south side.

The waterfront property is owned by the investors behind Footprint Power, the developer of the gas-fired power plant. The investors have floated the idea of repurposing the southern side of the property for mixed-use development, but with the Biden administration aggressively pursuing the development of offshore wind to reach the nation’s climate goals the investors have been encouraged to explore that avenue. They put out a request for expressions of interest and, according to Driscoll, received six to eight submissions related to offshore wind.

At a Salem Harbor Port Authority meeting late last month, Scott Silverstein, the president and chief operating officer of Footprint Power, said interest in the offshore wind potential of the property has picked up dramatically. 

Salem is still a long way away from jumping into the offshore wind business. Offshore wind leases off the coast of Nantucket are already being developed. Vineyard Wind, the nation’s first industrial-scale offshore wind farm, is now moving ahead with construction and Mayflower Wind has a project going through regulatory review. More procurements are in the works. 

New Bedford, home to the state-owned marine commerce terminal, will be the staging area for both of the initial projects and the Somerset/Fall River area is likely to grab some of the business from the future procurements. New Bedford is already seeking to expand its waterfront capability to cater to offshore wind. 

Driscoll said Salem would probably cater to offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, where the federal government has yet to auction any offshore wind leases. That means it could be some time before the industry takes hold there. 

Driscoll, however, takes the long view. She sees a synergy between the gas-fired power plant on the Salem waterfront, which has a permit to generate electricity that expires in 2050, and the possible use of the same property to service offshore wind. “This could be the bridge to going more renewable,” she said of the gas-fired power plant.

BRUCE MOHL

FROM COMMONWEALTH

Prioritizing federal aid: Large municipalities hard hit by COVID are reaching out to residents for input on how to spend tens of millions of dollars in federal relief funds. Many options are on the table and communities are looking for ways to build consensus on spending plans by surveying residents and appointing advisory groups. Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo is considering transforming a food bank set up during the height of COVID into a community kitchen and food distribution space. New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell, like his counterparts in other cities, is committed to using the money for one-time expenses that won’t jack up annual budgetary spending. Read more.

Standing pat: Gov. Charlie Baker says he has no plans to issue new mask edicts despite an uptick in COVID cases, but he said local communities are free to do so if they feel the need. Provincetown advised local residents to start wearing masks again indoors. Read more.

Folgert is back: The Dorchester Youth Collaborative shut its doors in March, but the organization and its leader Emmett Folgert are now back in action, working as part of  MissionSAFE, a Mission Hill youth services nonprofit with a similar mission and target population. “When I saw some of the news coverage on DYC closing, I was appalled. Emmett is just a legend in this town,” said Nikki Flionis, executive director of MissionSAFE. Read more.

Place your bets: The House passed sports betting legislation again and hopes are high among supporters on Beacon Hill that the Senate will do the same and include betting on college sports. House Speaker Ron Mariano said excluding betting on college sports would be a deal-breaker, but Sen. Eric Lesser (whose sports betting bill doesn’t include college sports) thinks a deal is possible between the two branches this year. The biggest argument in favor appears to be the fact that surrounding states have all jumped on the sports betting bandwagon. Read more.

OPINION

Follow the leader: Gordon M. Burnes, the chair of the Environmental League of Massachusetts, says the state can be a leader in combating climate change and provide a roadmap for other states to follow. Read more.

FROM AROUND THE WEB

BEACON HILL

State and local government employees who worked outside the home sometime between March 10 and Dec. 31, 2020, would be credited with three extra years of service toward their pension under a bill that has drawn broad legislative support. Critics worry it would cost billions and drain pension funds. (WBUR)

MUNICIPAL MATTERS

Pittsfield and Greenfield are paying underwriting fees of $27,900 to be featured on a series of documentaries called Discovering America hosted by the actor Dennis Quaid. (Berkshire Eagle)

The conservative group Super Happy Fun America is planning a fundraiser in Auburn this weekend to fundraise for the “Heroes of Jan. 6” – those who participated in the Capitol insurrection. (Telegram & Gazette)

In the face of rising ransomware attacks, many communities are upping their cyber-security insurance coverage. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Former Provincetown School Committee member Kerry Adams is sentenced to 14 years in prison for child pornography. (Cape Cod Times)

HEALTH/HEALTH CARE

There are still racial gaps in who is getting the COVID vaccine, but the gaps are narrowing. (Salem News)

A new report from the state’s hospital association finds insurers earned huge profits last year amid a drop in claims related to the pandemic. (Salem News)

Boston Mayor Kim Janey says all public school students must wear masks when they return in the fall, and other communities are bringing back mask advisories amid a surge in cases of the contagious Delta variant of COVID-19. (Boston Globe)

Biogen executives defend the approval process of the controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm and blame the media for misleading patients about its benefits. (Boston Globe)

EDUCATION

Lorena Lopera and Rafaela Polanco Garcia were sworn in as temporary members of the Boston School Committee, Thursday, filling the two seats left vacant when Alex Oliver-Dàvila and Lorna Rivera resigned over leaked text messages. Both appointees are Spanish-speaking Latina immigrants. (WBUR)

ARTS/CULTURE

A subdued opening ceremony for the Tokyo Olympic games will take place Friday night, with no fans, amid controversy about whether it should be held at all amid the COVID pandemic. Follow the New York Times live blog of the event here. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE/COURTS

New Bedford police officers are asking for allegations of gender discrimination to be dropped after a former colleague filed a lawsuit last month, claiming higher-ups created a hostile workplace and engaged in gender discrimination and retaliation. (South Coast Today)

The Hanover branch of the national marijuana company, Curaleaf, violated labor laws when three top executives tried to hamper unionization efforts among employees. (Patriot Ledger) 

Rabbi Shlomo Noginski, who was stabbed in an apparent hate crime outside a Jewish school in Brighton, writes in an op-ed that the attack made him more determined to be proudly Jewish. (Boston Globe)

MEDIA

Washington Post politics reporter Felicia Sonmez sues the paper for discriminating against her as a victim of sexual assault. Sonmez was removed from covering sexual misconduct, and was suspended from the Post briefly after tweeting about a rape allegation against Kobe Bryant hours after he died. (The Associated Press)

PASSINGS

The sister of James Hillman, the slain Department of Youth Services worker, says the family has lots of unanswered questions about what happened and how Hillman was attacked by a juvenile living in the residence where he worked. (MassLive)