The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalised its designation of a wind energy area (WEA) in the Gulf of Maine with the potential to support generation of 32GW of clean energy.
This WEA could surpass current state goals for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine: 10GW for Massachusetts and 3GW for Maine.
BOEM will publish a notice in the Federal Register on 18 March announcing its intent to prepare an environmental assessment of potential impacts from offshore wind leasing activities in the WEA.
The notice will initiate a 30-day public comment period. Another public comment period would occur if BOEM decides to move forward with a lease sale in the WEA.
The WEA totals about two million acres offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, ranging from approximately 23 to 92 miles off the coast.
BOEM finalized the WEA after extensive engagement with the states of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, Tribes, local residents, ocean users including the fishing community, federal government partners, and other members of the public.
Based on the feedback received about natural and cultural resources and current ocean uses, the WEA represents an 80% reduction from the area BOEM initially identified for possible leasing and a 43% reduction from the draft WEA.
The resulting WEA avoids important areas for lobster fishing, North Atlantic right whale habitat, and other important fishing areas and habitats, BOEM said.
Additionally, in response to initial conversations with Tribal Nations located within Maine, the WEA strives to avoid a majority of the historical and present-day fishing grounds of those Tribes, it added.
BOEM director Elizabeth Klein (pictured) said: “BOEM is committed to maintaining strong collaboration with the states of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire as we advance our efforts in the Gulf of Maine.
“We remain dedicated to engaging with Tribal governments, federal and state agencies, ocean stakeholders, coastal communities, and all interested parties as we progress through our environmental review.”
BOEM said it will continue to consult with all Tribal Nations, the fishing industry, and other stakeholders who have an interest in the region to understand their concerns with potential offshore wind energy development within the WEA.
During two rounds of analyses to produce the Draft and Final WEAs, BOEM leveraged the ecosystem-based ocean planning model designed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS).
That model incorporates the best available data on Gulf of Maine natural resources, ocean industries like fisheries and energy production, and national security activities to identify areas with high wind energy resource potential and fewer potential impacts to other ocean users and sensitive environmental resources, the Agency said.