The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has proposed a lease sale for 122,405-acre Kitty Hawk Wind Energy Area (WEA) off North Carolina for commercial wind energy leasing.
The Kitty Hawk WEA begins about 24 nautical miles from shore and extends about 25.7 nautical miles in a general southeast direction. It contains 21.5 Outer Continental Shelf blocks.
BOEM has also announced the Wilmington East and Wilmington West WEAs, which, due to their proximity and shared attributes, have been coupled with the planning and leasing process for the South Carolina Call Areas.
A Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) and Request for Interest (RFI) for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore North Carolina will be published in the Federal Register on August 16, 2016, and will include a 60-day public comment period ending on October 17, 2016.
“This is a great day for North Carolina and our country as we continue to make progress on diversifying our nation’s energy portfolio,” said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Abigail Ross Hopper . “With the completion of a successful lease sale, North Carolina will move closer to obtaining substantial contributions to the region’s energy supply from offshore wind. Additionally, such supply will assist local governments in achieving their renewable energy goals.”