BOEM designates two offshore wind areas in Gulf of Mexico
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has determined the locations of two wind energy areas (WEAs) in the Gulf of Mexico.
The first WEA is located approximately 24 nautical miles (nm) off the coast of Galveston, Texas and totals 508,265 acres. The second WEA is located about 56 nm off the coast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. The area totals 174,275 acres.
BOEM uses its renewable energy competitive leasing process to identify the offshore locations that appear most suitable for development, taking into consideration potential impacts to resources and ocean users. The Bureau collaborated with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to build an ocean model to analyse the entire Gulf of Mexico ecosystem to find areas that have the least conflict with other uses and the lowest anticipated environmental impact.
“These two wind energy areas represent exciting progress toward having the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and the know how to advance energy development in the OCS [outer continental shelf],” said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton in a statement.
In July 2022, the Department of the Interior announced that BOEM was seeking input on two draft WEAs during a public comment period that closed on September 2. BOEM received 107 comments, which helped inform the decision on the final WEAs.
The next step in the competitive leasing process will be the issuance of a proposed sale notice with a 60-day public comment period later this year or early next year.