US Offers Two More Wind Areas Offshore Massachusetts

US Department of Interior has announced the proposed lease sale for two additional areas offshore Massachusetts for commercial wind energy leasing, totalling nearly 390,000 acres.

A Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for commercial leasing for wind power on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Massachusetts will be published in the Federal Register on April 11, 2018, and will include a 60-day public comment period.

The PSN requests public comments on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) proposal to auction two lease areas offshore Massachusetts for potential commercial wind energy development. Lease OCS-A 0502 consists of 248,015 acres and Lease OCS-A 0503 consists of 140,554 acres.

In addition, the PSN requests the affirmation of continued interest from any prospective bidders already qualified for commercial wind energy development offshore Massachusetts, and submission of the required qualification materials from any prospective bidders that BOEM has not previously qualified for a Massachusetts lease sale.

“The Trump Administration supports an all-of-the-above energy policy and using every tool available to achieve American energy dominance. The proposed sale area has tremendous offshore wind energy potential and the responsible development of it continues to play a big role in the Administration’s America-First Offshore Energy Strategy,” said the US Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke.

“This area represents the Department’s willingness to listen to stakeholder feedback, including the fishing community, and make the right adjustments.”

BOEM will host a public seminar to describe the auction format, explain the auction rules and demonstrate the auction process through meaningful examples. It will be followed by a public meeting on BOEM’s planning and leasing efforts regarding Massachusetts offshore wind energy activities.

To date, BOEM has awarded 13 commercial offshore wind leases with wind energy leases off every state from Massachusetts to North Carolina.