Biden Admin Announces Public Meetings for Wind Power Auction of Gulf of Maine

The U.S. Department of the Interior has announced a series of public meetings following its Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) for the first offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is opening a 60-day public comment period that will close on July 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

The public meetings follow the April 30 announcement from the Biden Administration that it would auction off the rights to build industrial-scale wind turbine arrays in the Gulf of Maine.

“In another step by the Biden-Harris administration to support the growing momentum across America for a clean energy economy, the Department of the Interior (DOI) today announced two proposals for offshore wind energy auctions off the coast of Oregon and in the Gulf of Maine,” the Department of Interior said in a press release.

“The two sales proposed by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have the potential to generate more than 18 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, enough to power more than six million homes,” the DOI claimed.

Although the DOI described the potential transactions as “sales,” companies will actually be bidding on leases.

According to BOEM, the following companies have expressed interest in leasing acreage to install wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine: Avangrid Renewables, LLC, Equinor Wind US LLC, US Mainstream Renewable Power Inc, Diamond Wind North America, LLC, Hexicon USA, LLC, TotalEnergies SBE US, LLC, Pine Tree Offshore Wind, LLC, OW Gulf of Maine LLC, Repsol Renewables North America, Inc, Maine Offshore Wind Development LLC, and Corio USA Projectco LLC.

The taxpayer-funded projects have drawn criticism from a group of New England fishermen who argue that the industrialization of the Gulf of Maine will — in addition to harming native whale species — have deleterious effects on haddock and lobster fisheries.

[RELATED: Fishermen’s Alliance Highlights Offshore Wind Threat to Haddock, Lobster Fisheries in Gulf of Maine…]

The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) in August released an “Offshore Wind Research Summary” summarizing the existing scientific research on the environmental impact of offshore wind power development.

“The studies featured in the Research Summary indicate that there is no scientific consensus as to the effects of offshore wind on ocean ecosystems and marine life,” said Jerry Leeman, NEFSA CEO and a longtime commercial fishing captain.

“We cannot industrialize the Gulf of Maine until we understand how the wind industry interacts with the fisheries that wild harvesters have stewarded responsibly for decades,” Leeman said.

Although the fishermen and many Republican politicians have opposed the project, wind turbine projects have tremendous backing for far left Democrats and politically connected labor unions.

Last year, the Democrat-controlled state legislature passed — and Gov. Janet Mills (D) signed — a bill that will subsidize the creation of a port facility intended to serve as the construction site for the wind turbines.

Matt Schlobohm, executive director of the Maine AFL-CIO, described the bill’s passage at the time as a “home run” for the left-wing group.

BOEM has organized both in-person and virtual meetings to gather public input on the PSN. These sessions will provide an opportunity for the public to engage directly with BOEM scientists and other personnel, ask questions, and share information.

In-person Open House Meetings:

1. Portland, Maine
   • Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
   • Time: 5-8 p.m.
   • Location: Holiday Inn Portland-by the Bay, 88 Spring Street
   • Registration: Encouraged
2. Portsmouth, New Hampshire
   • Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
   • Time: 5-8 p.m.
   • Location: Urban Forestry Center, 45 Elwyn Rd
   • Registration: Encouraged
3. Danvers, Massachusetts
   • Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024
   • Time: 5-8 p.m.
   • Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, North Shore, 50 Ferncroft Rd
   • Registration: Encouraged

Additionally, BOEM will hold the fourth Gulf of Maine Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meeting on May 31, 2024, in Plymouth, Massachusetts. This meeting will be both in-person and livestreamed. While virtual attendees can watch and listen, they will not be able to participate actively.

Task Force Meeting:

• Date: Friday, May 31, 2024
• Time: 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Location: Hotel 1620, 180 Water St, Plymouth, MA
• Registration: Encouraged

BOEM is also hosting a series of virtual meetings targeting various stakeholders, including the general public, commercial and recreational fishing sectors, environmental non-governmental organizations (eNGOs), and the commercial maritime industry. These meetings will be recorded and later posted on BOEM’s website.

Virtual Meetings:

• General Public: May 23, 2024, 6-8 p.m.
• Commercial Fishing (Mobile & Fixed Gear): June 6, 2024, 5-7 p.m.
• Recreational Fishing and Highly Migratory Species: June 11, 2024, 5-7 p.m.
• Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (eNGOs): June 10, 2024, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
• Commercial Maritime (Shipping): June 10, 2024, 4-6 p.m.

Participants must register for virtual meetings.

Public comments can be submitted via the regulations.gov web portal by searching for Docket No. BOEM-2024-0026, or by mail to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs.

For more information on the meetings and to register, visit BOEM’s website.