BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein: ““The completion of our environmental review is an important step forward to advance clean energy development in a responsible manner while promoting economic vitality and well-paying jobs in the Gulf of Mexico region.”
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) at this time introduced the publication of its Gulf of Maine Call for Information and Nominations. This name invitations public touch upon, and assesses curiosity in, attainable business wind vitality growth in areas offshore Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.
This follows the company’s August 2022 “Request for Interest” (RFI) to gauge whether or not business curiosity existed in acquiring wind vitality leases inside an space within the Gulf of Maine comprising about 13.7 million acres.
BOEM labored collaboratively with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to conduct a spatial evaluation of the RFI space. This evaluation, together with public feedback on the RFI, led to the creation of a draft Call Area. BOEM hosted a collection of data exchanges on the draft Call Area from January-February 2023 to get suggestions from tribes, states, current ocean customers, and most people. The closing Call Area, printed at this time, reduces the RFI space to 9.8 million acres, a virtually 30% discount.
In the ultimate Gulf of Maine offshore windCall Area, BOEM eliminated roughly 160,000 acres from future consideration to keep away from Georges Bank. The Call Area stays broad to offer flexibility to attenuate conflicts with different makes use of. BOEM will use a strong spatial analytical software, known as an ecosystem-wide suitability mannequin, developed in partnership with NCCOS, to assist establish the place conflicts might exist and inform selections relating to probably the most applicable Wind Energy Areas to fulfill the states’ and the administration’s offshore renewable vitality targets.
Through the knowledge exchanges on the draft Call Area, BOEM has recognized 4 areas on which it particularly seeks public enter on throughout this subsequent part of overview, together with: Lobster Management Area I, Platts Bank, Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Restricted Areas, and Georges Bank (the instantly adjoining space alongside the southern boundary of the Call Area). This just isn’t an exhaustive checklist; nevertheless, it represents the areas that have been most commented on in the newest public engagement. BOEM says it seems ahead to receiving extra data through the Call remark interval relating to the suitability of those areas for potential renewable vitality growth.
“BOEM is committed to transparent, inclusive and data-driven processes, and public input is essential to helping us determine areas that may be suitable for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine,” stated BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We are still early in the planning and leasing process, and we look forward to the multiple future opportunities for engagement.”
BOEM will publish the Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Gulf of Maine Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)—Call for Information and Nominations within the Federal Register on April 26, which is able to provoke a 45-day public remark interval. BOEM will settle for nominations and feedback via 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 12.
After the general public remark interval closes, BOEM will overview and analyze business nominations and public feedback submitted in response to the Call. BOEM can even think about data from authorities and tribal consultations and the Gulf of Maine Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to additional consider the appropriateness of the Call Area for offshore wind vitality growth.
“The feedback that we have received prior to this announcement has been extremely valuable in informing the process and understanding the unique dynamics that the Gulf of Maine presents,” stated BOEM Project Coordinator Zach Jylkka. “The success of BOEM’s commercial leasing process hinges upon continued public input, and we are fortunate that many passionate and knowledgeable individuals and organizations are willing to share their experiences and expertise to help shape these important outcomes.”
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