The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today finalized two areas in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Galveston, TX (508,265 acres) and Lake Charles, LA (174,275 acres) for wind energy leasing. The areas have the potential to power 2.84 million homes.
BOEM Director Amanda Lefton called the announcement “exciting progress toward having the first offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and the know how to advance energy development in the OCS,” adding that the Gulf of Mexico “can play a central role in our nation’s clean energy transition to support good paying jobs, [and] fight climate change.”
BOEM noted that the areas were reduced to address Defense Department and Coast Guard concerns related to shipping, marine navigation, and military operations, and referred to its collaboration with NOAA on an analysis of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem that helped identify areas “that have the least conflict and the lowest environmental impact.” Next steps include issuance of a Proposed Sale Notice and an associated 60-day comment period.
