Authorities advance plan for offshore wind near US territories

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is requesting ideas for baseline environmental and socioeconomic studies regarding potential offshore wind energy activities in the US territories.

BOEM is also inviting entities in the US territories that have the capabilities, expertise, and interest in carrying out environmental monitoring and conducting studies. 

To formally request ideas for baseline environmental and socioeconomic studies, the bureau has issued a request for letters of interest as well as a request for information to determine which entities in the US territories have the required capabilities. The deadline for responding to the LOI and RFI is August 23, 2024.

The US territories fall outside of the Lower 48 states, Alaska, and Hawaii. The US has five inhabited territories – American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.

The country also holds nine uninhabited territories – Baker Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Johnston Atoll, Kingman Reef, Midway Atoll, Navassa Island, Palmyra Atoll, and Wake Island – and claims two more – Bajo Nuevo Bank, and Serranilla Bank – but those are under dispute with Colombia and Jamaica which control the two.

“BOEM develops, funds, and manages rigorous scientific research to ensure our decisions are informed by the best science and indigenous knowledge available. Additional research focused on the US territories will increase our understanding of these important areas, and the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development on their residents and resources,” said Rodney Cluck, chief of BOEM’s environmental studies program.

During this administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first eight commercial-scale offshore wind projects, held four offshore wind lease auctions and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf Coasts. Thus far, the Department has approved more than 10GW of clean energy from offshore wind projects.