BOEM Director Amanda Lefton: “These two wind energy areas represent exciting progress toward having the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and the know how to advance energy development in the OCS.”
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) at the moment introduced it has finalized two Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) within the Gulf of Mexico, with the potential to supply sufficient clear wind vitality to energy almost 3 million properties.
The first WEA is situated roughly 24 nautical miles (nm) off the coast of Galveston, Texas. The space totals 508,265 acres and has the potential to energy 2.1 million properties. The second WEA is situated roughly 56 nautical miles off the coast of Lake Charles, La. It totals 174,275 acres and has the potential to energy over 740,000 properties.
Back in June 2021, the U.S. Department of the Interior introduced its intent to evaluate potential alternatives to advance offshore wind improvement on the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Subsequently, BOEM sought enter on two draft WEAs throughout a 30-day public remark interval. Due to suggestions obtained throughout a Gulf of Mexico Renewable Energy Task Force assembly, BOEM prolonged the remark interval to 45 days, which closed on September 2, 2022. BOEM obtained 107 feedback, which helped inform the ultimate WEAs.
BOEM barely diminished the scale of the WEAs from their draft variations to handle considerations expressed by the Department of Defense and the U.S. Coast Guard relating to transport, marine navigation, and army operations.
“These two wind energy areas represent exciting progress toward having the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and the know how to advance energy development in the OCS. The region can play a central role in our nation’s clean energy transition to support good paying jobs, fight climate change,” mentioned BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. “BOEM will continue to work with the coastal states and communities as we advance our work and do so in a manner that seeks to avoid or minimize conflicts with other ocean uses and marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.”
The subsequent steps in BOEM’s renewable vitality aggressive leasing course of embrace issuing a Proposed Sale Notice with a 60-day public remark interval, later this yr or early subsequent yr.
