Offshore

U.S. moves to develop offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine

U.S. moves to develop offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine
FILE - Numerous wind turbines, including some from RWE's new Kaskasi offshore wind farm, can be seen during the commissioning of the wind farm off Helgoland, Germany, March 23, 2023. The wind power industry on Monday, March 27, projected growth to rapidly accelerate this year, with incentives and policy changes in key nations helping to overcome factors that led to a slowdown in 2022. (Christian Charisius/Pool Photo via AP, File)

The Biden administration has taken an early step to bring offshore wind development to the Gulf of Maine.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on April 25 issued its Gulf of Maine Call for Information and Nominations, which invites public comment on, and assesses interest in, possible commercial wind energy development in areas offshore Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. 

The call is BOEM’s first official step in a long process to expand offshore wind development to new areas.

“We are still early in the planning and leasing process, and we look forward to the multiple future opportunities for engagement,” BOEM director Elizabeth Klein said.

A 45-day comment period begins on April 26 with the publishing of the call in the Federal Register. BOEM said it will accept nominations and comments through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on June 12. 

After the public comment period closes, BOEM will review and analyze commercial nominations and public comments submitted in response to the call.

In August 2022, the Department of the Interior announced a “Request for Interest” to gauge whether commercial interest existed in obtaining wind energy leases within an area in the Gulf of Maine comprising about 13.7 million acres.