Hearing on Offshore Wind Energy

Wind energy turbines offshore.\Photo courtesy of NOAA.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is holding a series of public hearings on their plans to develop floating offshore wind turbine farms off the Oregon coast, and specifically concerning the “Wind Energy Areas” (WEAs) they have identified. For more on this, go here.

The first of these in-person hearings takes place in Gold Beach on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 4-8 p.m., in the Gold Beach Community Center, 29841 Airport Way.

BOEM representatives will outline information used to inform the drafting of the two WEAs off the southern Oregon coast, and present their intended next steps in BOEM’s offshore wind leasing area identification process. BOEM will accept public comments at the meeting, or citizens can learn more at the meeting and then comment subsequently in writing. BOEM states that comments received during the comment period will inform potential designation of final WEAs for further analysis and review for possible offshore wind energy leasing.  If final WEAs are designated, BOEM will conduct a review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for potential leasing, including site characterization and site assessment activities.  The NEPA process includes multiple public input opportunities.    

Oregon Shores, along with many conservation groups, Oregon’s governor and U.S. senators, fishing industry groups, the Pacific Marine Fisheries Council, and tribes, had all protested that BOEM was moving too quickly, and that more study and public involvement was needed. This feedback did result in BOEM allowing for a 60-day comment period on the WEAs, which is not their usual procedure, but nevertheless, they are rushing ahead on their timeline before scientific studies of the potential impacts have been done.

Additional information, including registration and details on how to submit written comments on the draft WEAs can be found on BOEM’s webpage at www.boem.gov/Oregon.