The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has proposed holding an offshore wind lease sale off the US’s central Atlantic coast next year.
It is seeking comments on two of the three areas it identified as suitable for offshore wind earlier this year before deciding whether to offer either of the sites in a lease sale.
A 410km2 area off Delaware and Maryland and a 714km2 area off Virginia could be offered at auction. A third site – off Maryland – was left out, as BOEM conceded that offshore wind developers would incur “significant costs” mitigating impacts on military and National Aeronautics and Space Administration activities there. The Maryland site could be considered for a second lease sale as soon as 2025, it added.
BOEM plans to publish the proposed sale notice for the lease auction in the federal register tomorrow (12 December), opening a 60-day public comment period before proceeding with the auction.
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