Trump Administration Delivers Historic Progress on Offshore Wind

[Gunnar Larson]

Trump Administration Delivers Historic Progress on Offshore Wind

Continues to fulfill promise of a secure energy future for Americans
10/18/2018
Last edited 9/29/2021

Date: October 18, 2018
Contacts: Interior_Press at ios.doi.gov
Stephen Boutwell (BOEM) 703-787-1531

*WASHINGTON* – Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke
announced three major developments in American offshore wind energy
spanning from coast to coast. Continuing with the Trump Administration's
all-of-the-above energy policy, the Secretary spoke at the American Wind
Energy Association’s Offshore Wind Conference and announced 1.)
much-anticipated wind auction in federal waters off the coast of
Massachusetts; 2.) the environmental review of a proposed wind project
offshore Rhode Island; and 3.) the next steps to a first-ever wind auction
in federal waters off of California.

“I'm very bullish on offshore wind, and harnessing this renewable resource
is a big part of the Trump Administration's made in America energy
strategy,” *said Secretary Zinke*. “We are always looking at new ways to
increase American innovation and productivity to provide abundant and
affordable energy for our homes and manufacturers. I think this is a win
for America. Working together with states, fishermen and the energy
industry, we are making offshore wind a reality, and these three historic
announcements are proof.”
Wind Auction Offshore Massachusetts

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will hold the next offshore
wind auction – to include nearly 390,000 acres offshore Massachusetts – on
Dec. 13, 2018. Nineteen companies have qualified to participate in the
auction for the Massachusetts Wind Energy Area, demonstrating continued
strong commercial interest in the U.S. offshore wind market.

“The Massachusetts sale has a lot of potential for both energy and economic
activity,” *Zinke said.* “If fully developed, the wind auction could
support approximately 4.1 gigawatts of power to supply nearly 1.5 million
homes. This is just one example of the importance of fostering wind energy
as a new American industry.”

For more information, including a map of the Massachusetts lease areas and
information provided in the Final Sale Notice, which will be published in
the Federal Register on Oct. 19, visit the BOEM website at
https://www.boem.gov/Commercial-Wind-Leasing/Massachusetts/Lease-Sale-4A/.
Environmental Review of Wind Project Offshore Rhode Island

BOEM will publish a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact
Statement for the Construction and Operations Plan for the South Fork Wind
Project offshore Rhode Island. If approved, the plan would allow
construction and operation of up to 15 turbines that connect via a
transmission cable to a grid in East Hampton, New York - the east end of
Long Island. The project is approximately 19 miles southeast of Block
Island. The notice will be published in the Federal Register on Oct. 19 and
will have a 30-day public comment period closing on Nov. 19.

For more information, including how to comment and locations of upcoming
public meetings please visit: https://www.boem.gov/South-Fork/.
Call for Information and Nominations Offshore California

In what could result in the first West Coast offshore wind auction, BOEM
will publish a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) to identify
companies interested in commercial wind energy leases within three proposed
areas off central and northern California. This is the first step towards
offering a location for wind leasing.

The three Call Areas include 85 whole Outer Continental Shelf blocks and
573 partial blocks and together comprise approximately 1,073 square miles
(687,823 acres).  The Call will be published in the Federal Register on
Oct. 19 and will have a 100-day public comment period closing on Jan. 27,
2019. For more information on the Call, including a map of the Call Areas
and how to comment, please visit: https://www.boem.gov/California/.
Additional Background

Through BOEM, the Department of the Interior manages 12 active commercial
wind energy leases off the Atlantic covering nearly 1.4 million acres.
Interior expects additional leasing offshore both the Atlantic and Pacific
coasts moving forward, involving active stakeholder engagement, and
providing increased transparency and efficiency throughout the permitting
process. For information on the Department’s Offshore Wind Program, please
visit: https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy/.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: text/html
Size: 8749 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <https://lists.cpunks.org/pipermail/cypherpunks/attachments/20220430/389c62db/attachment.txt>