Biden Harris Administration Announces First Ever Wind Lease Sale Offshore Oregon

Date: Thursday, August 29, 2024
Contact: [email protected]

WASHINGTON - In the latest step by the Biden-Harris administration to support the growing momentum across America for a clean energy future, the Department of the Interior today announced it will hold an offshore wind energy lease sale off southern Oregon. The two areas to be auctioned on October 15, 2024, by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management could generate more than 3.1 gigawatts of clean, renewable energy if fully developed, which could power approximately one million homes. Today's news follows a series of announcements from the Department in its historic efforts to expand offshore wind energy opportunities, building on investments made by the President's Investing in America agenda and creating good-paying jobs for American workers. 

"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," said 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."

"Today's announcement reflects the tireless work of so many people throughout Oregon and Pacific Northwest." said Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Elizabeth Klein. "By working together, we will unlock a future where clean energy and shared prosperity go hand in hand, combating climate change while creating opportunities for all."

President Biden's Investing in America agenda is growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up - from rebuilding our nation's infrastructure, to driving over half a trillion dollars in new private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good-paying jobs and building a clean energy economy that will combat the climate crisis and make our communities more resilient.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Department has approved the nation's first nine commercial scale offshore wind projects, held five offshore wind lease sales, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts, and advanced the process to establish additional Wind Energy Areas in the Gulf of Maine. Earlier this year, Secretary Haaland announced a schedule of additional lease sales through 2028. Thus far, the Department has approved more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy from offshore wind projects - enough to power nearly 5 million homes.

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, 2024, 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 today, 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 - for example, state-led development of a strategic roadmap on offshore wind, which can help inform the multi-year process for proposed projects.

Details on the FSN, along with a map of the Lease Areas can be found on the BOEM's website.

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