DOI Declares Biggest U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Area for Development

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) on June 17 announced that in excess of 742,000 acres offshore of Massachusetts will be accessible for commercial wind energy leasing. The suggested area is the biggest in federal waters and will nearly double the federal offshore acreage accessible for commercial-scale wind energy projects. The Suggested Sale Notice announcement triggers a 60-day public review period ending on August 18, 2014.

The Massachusetts Wind Energy Area is located approximately twelve miles offshore Massachusetts. DOI's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) suggests to auction the Wind Energy Area as 4 leases. To date, BOEM has awarded 5 commercial wind energy leases off the Atlantic coast: 2 non-competitive leases (Cape Wind in Nantucket Sound off the coast of Massachusetts and an area off the coast of Delaware) and 3 competitive leases (two offshore Massachusetts-Rhode Island and another offshore Virginia). To date, competitive lease sales have generated about $5.4 million in high bids for in excess of 277,000 acres in federal waters. BOEM is expected to hold additional competitive auctions for Wind Energy Areas offshore Maryland and New Jersey later this year. See the DOI press release.

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