January 13, 2023 — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is holding a series of in-person and online public sessions on its planning for potential offshore wind energy development in the Gulf of Maine from Jan. 17 through Jan. 30.
In August 2022 the U.S. Department of Interior announced a “request for interest” from wind energy developers in potentially offering 13.7 million acres in the gulf for energy leasing. In response to public input after that announcement, BOEM has worked with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Center for Coastal and Ocean Science (NCCOS) to conduct a spatial analysis of the RFI area.
That process has led BOEM to reduce the RFI area by about 27 percent to 9.9 million acres.
“BOEM would like your feedback on the reduced RFI area, as well as input on the model being developed in partnership with NCCOS,” according to a BOEM announcement Jan. 10. “This model will be used in the next phase of the planning process to aid in the identification of offshore areas that are the most suitable for commercial wind energy activities, while minimizing potential conflicts with marine life and all ocean users.