US regulator the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding task force meetings to discuss the potential for offshore wind development off the Pacific Islands of Guam and Hawaii.
It hopes to facilitate coordination among federal, territorial and local governments through meetings planned in August and September.
BOEM plans to assist in identifying the most suitable areas for potential offshore wind leasing; provide education about offshore wind leasing, permitting and statutory requirements; and exchange information about biological, cultural and physical resources, ocean uses and priorities.
It had included Hawaii as a potential offshore wind location when it mapped out its seabed leasing plans through to the end of 2028 earlier this year. At the time, it had also proposed seabed leasing off an undisclosed US territory.
Guam is a US territory located 9,700km west of the US mainland. As of 2022, it had a population of 168,000. The September task force meeting is due to be Guam’s first.
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