Oregon’s governor and senior lawmakers are asking for a pause in offshore wind activities off the Pacific north-west state.
Governor Tina Kotek, US senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, and US representatives Val Hoyle and Suzanne Bonamici wrote to the director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Elizabeth Klein asking the agency to temporarily halt the identification of lease areas off Oregon.
The legislators, all Democrats, cited potential environmental impacts on the environment and economy. Fishermen and Native American tribes have also contested BOEM’s process.
“Many valid questions and concerns remain about floating offshore wind,” Kotek and her Democratic colleagues wrote on 9 June. “These must be addressed transparently before we can support proceeding further toward any substantial development decisions on the Oregon coast.”
In April 2022, BOEM had announced a call for information and nominations for the two call areas. The agency has identified areas covering 4,693km2 near Brookings and Coos Bay and is currently drafting a detailed report.
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