“Across America’s coasts, we continue to see excitement and momentum for the Biden-Harris administration’s pursuit of a clean energy future,” said Secretary Deb Haaland. “We are taking action to jumpstart America’s offshore wind energy industry and using American innovation to deliver reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses, while also addressing the climate crisis. As we do, we are working collaboratively with states, Tribes and stakeholders to ensure we are making smart decisions and efficient use of our nation’s offshore resources."
“We are excited to announce this sale and underscore our commitment to explore additional areas in the Central Atlantic for potential offshore wind energy development,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “BOEM will continue to work with all ocean users to ensure offshore wind energy proceeds in an environmentally responsible manner.”
Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department has approved the nation’s first eight commercial-scale offshore wind energy projects in federal waters. BOEM has held four offshore wind lease sales, including offshore New York, New Jersey, and the Carolinas, and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The Department recently announced a schedule of up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028.
The Final Sale Notice (FSN), which will publish in the Federal Register on July 1, includes one area offshore the states of Delaware and Maryland, and one area offshore the Commonwealth of Virginia. Lease Area A-2 consists of 101,443 acres and is approximately 26 nautical miles (nm) from Delaware Bay. Lease Area C-1 consists of 176,505 acres and is approximately 35 nm from the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay. Seventeen companies qualified to participate in the August sale.
BOEM partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to develop a comprehensive, ecosystem-based ocean planning model that assisted in the selection of the final lease areas. The FSN contains detailed information about the areas available for leasing, certain lease provisions and conditions, auction details, criteria for evaluating competing bids, and procedures for lease award, appeals, and lease execution.
BOEM is including several lease stipulations and bidding credits that would reaffirm its commitment to create good-paying jobs and engage with ocean users and other stakeholders. Some of these stipulations, which are part of the FSN, include:
BOEM will also continue to convene the Central Atlantic Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to enhance collaboration and to explore and identify potential additional areas for future offshore wind leasing. These ongoing intergovernmental efforts include advancement of a December 2023 commitment and June 2024 Memorandum of Understanding that outline joint work by the Biden-Harris administration and the State of Maryland to evaluate additional areas off Maryland’s shores that could become wind energy areas and support the development of offshore wind projects.
