Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

On October 18, 2022, the Department of the Interior announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale on December 6, 2022, for areas on the Outer Continental Shelf off central and northern California. This will be the first-ever offshore wind lease sale on America’s west coast and the first-ever US sale to support potential commercial-scale floating offshore wind energy development.
Continue Reading First Offshore Wind Energy Lease Sale in the Pacific Creates Opportunity for Developers

The Gulf of Mexico has long been home to offshore energy development, but with President Biden’s call to advance offshore wind development, a new change is potentially coming to the horizon—wind farms. At the helm of Gulf wind development is the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, who has now announced the solicitation of public comments on two potential wind energy areas off the coasts of Texas and Louisiana and the related environmental assessment for the entire Gulf Call Area.
Continue Reading Change on the Horizon for Gulf of Mexico Energy Production

The United States’ first major offshore wind energy project is running into delays as federal agencies internally debate whether the project plan adequately protects the fishing industry. How the agencies resolve the degree to which the project plan must address the fishing industry’s concerns will shape how future offshore wind energy projects are planned and permitted.
Continue Reading First Major US Offshore Wind Project Delayed by Fishing Industry Concerns