The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the release of its final Environmental Assessment (EA) regarding the potential impacts of issuing leases for offshore wind energy development off the coast of Oregon. The EA concluded that issuing these leases would not result in significant impacts on people or the environment. 

BOEM Director Elizabeth Kleinstated, “BOEM relies on the best available science and information to guide our decisions on offshore wind activities. By working with Tribes, government partners, ocean users, and the public, we have gathered extensive data, diverse perspectives, and valuable insights that have shaped our environmental analysis. We remain committed to maintaining this close coordination to ensure that any potential offshore wind energy leasing and future development in Oregon are conducted in a way that avoids, reduces, or mitigates potential impacts on ocean users and the marine environment.” 

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first nine commercial-scale off shore wind energy projects. BOEM has held four offshore wind lease auctions, including sales offshore New York, New Jersey, and the Carolinas; and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts.

BOEM is exploring additional offshore wind energy development opportunities in the U.S., including in the Gulf of Maine and offshorethe U.S. Territories. The Department also continues to take steps to evolve its approach to offshore wind to drive towards union-built projects and a domestic-based supply chain. 

Leases resulting from this sale will not authorize the construction or operations of an offshore wind facility. Instead, the lease will grant the lessee the right to submit a project plan for BOEM’s review. For any future proposed offshore wind projects, BOEM will develop an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to analyze the specific impacts of those projects before making decisions on whether to approve the proposed construction and operations plan. The EISs will be prepared in consultation with Tribes and appropriate government agencies, and informed by input from stakeholders, oceanusers, and thepublic.