The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has completed its final Environmental Assessment (EA) of the wind energy area (WEA) located in the Gulf of Maine, finding that the leasing process and site assessment and characterisation activities will not have a significant environmental impact.
BOEM held an open comment period on the draft EA between 21 June and 22 July to receive and consider input from the public, including local communities, Tribes, and diverse ocean users.
The final EA evaluated the potential issuance of commercial wind energy leases off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.
It considered the potential environmental impacts associated with activities such as conducting surveys and installing meteorological buoys, but not the installation of offshore turbines, which would be assessed in a separate environmental review if a leaseholder submits a project proposal.
In April, the US Department of Interior (DOI) announced a proposed offshore wind energy lease sale in the Gulf of Maine, which would include eight potential leasing areas within the WEA offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire.
The eight areas total nearly one million acres and have the potential to generate approximately 15 GW of clean, renewable energy, and power more than five million homes.
BOEM is proposing to conduct simultaneous auctions for each of the eight lease areas using multiple-factor bidding.
In April, the US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced a new five-year offshore wind leasing schedule , which features two Gulf of Maine sales: one set for 2024 and another for 2028.