The Bureau of Ocean Vitality Administration (BOEM) has finalized its designation of a 2 million acre offshore Gulf of Maine Wind Vitality Space (WEA), which the bureau says has a 32 GW capability.
BOEM will publish a discover within the Federal Register tomorrow (Mar. 18) asserting its intent to organize an environmental evaluation of potential impacts from offshore wind leasing actions within the WEA which can provoke a 30-day public remark interval. One other public remark interval would happen if BOEM decides to maneuver ahead with a lease sale within the WEA.
Based mostly on the suggestions obtained about pure and cultural assets and present ocean makes use of, the WEA represents an 80% discount from the world the bureau initially recognized for doable leasing and a 43% discount from the Draft WEA.
“BOEM is dedicated to sustaining robust collaboration with the states of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire as we advance our efforts within the Gulf of Maine,” says Elizabeth Klein, BOEM director. “We stay devoted to participating with Tribal governments, federal and state companies, ocean stakeholders, coastal communities, and all events as we progress via our environmental evaluation.”
BOEM will search to keep away from or reduce remaining ocean use and useful resource conflicts in subsequent phases of the leasing course of and says it’ll proceed to seek the advice of with all Tribal Nations, the fishing trade and different stakeholders who’ve an curiosity within the area.
In October, BOEM held a public remark interval on the Draft WEA and three secondary areas for additional evaluation. After reviewing suggestions from stakeholders and the general public, the bureau labored with NCCOS on a refined mannequin to additional scale back the dimensions of, and conflicts inside, the Draft WEA earlier than figuring out a Closing WEA.
