The Department of the Interior (DOI) will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale off southern Oregon, with two areas to be auctioned on October 15 by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Both areas together have to potential to generate 3.1 GW.
“Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Interior Department has worked diligently to support the undeniable enthusiasm for a clean energy transition that will help address the climate crisis and create good-paying, family-sustaining jobs in every corner of America,” says Secretary Deb Haaland.
“The advancement of the first offshore wind sale in Oregon marks years of engagement with state partners, Tribes, ocean users and industry and the Administration’s commitment to building a thriving and sustainable clean energy industry.”
Earlier this year, Secretary Haaland announced a schedule of additional lease sales through 2028. So far, the department has approved 13 GW of offshore wind projects.
The Final Sale Notice (FSN) is the last step before the sale itself in the competitive lease award process. It includes details regarding certain provisions and conditions of the leases, auction details, the lease form, criteria for evaluating competing bids, award procedures, appeal procedures and lease execution.
The FSN, which will publish in the Federal Register on September 3, includes two areas offshore Oregon. Lease Area P-OCS 0566 (Coos Bay) consists of 61,203 acres and is approximately 32 miles from shore. Lease Area P-OCS 0567 (Brookings) consists of 133,792 acres and is around 18 miles from shore.
The FSN includes several lease stipulations designed to promote the development of a robust domestic U.S. supply chain for floating wind, advance flexibility in transmission planning and create good-paying union jobs.
Among the stipulations announced, BOEM will offer bidding credits for bidders who enter into community benefit agreements or invest in workforce training or supply chain development; require winning bidders to make efforts to enter into project labor agreements; and require engagement with Tribes, underserved communities, ocean users and others. Eighteen lease conditions were added to address requirements from the State of Oregon’s concurrence with BOEM’s Federal Consistency Determination.
The issuance of any lease resulting from this sale would not constitute an approval of project-specific plans to develop offshore wind energy. Such plans, if submitted, would be subject to subsequent environmental, technical, and public reviews prior to a decision on whether the proposed development should be authorized.
BOEM will continue to work through its Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, which includes representatives from federal, state and local agencies and Tribal governments, to coordinate on potential leasing and support ongoing stakeholder engagement processes on broader offshore wind considerations.
