The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is currently seeking comments on its proposed modernization of regulations to facilitate offshore wind energy development. Originally due Mar. 31, the comment deadline was later extended to Monday, May 1.
The proposal rule includes provisions for incremental funding of decommissioning accounts, more flexible geophysical and geotechnical survey submission requirements, streamlined approval of meteorological buoys, revised project verification procedures, reform of the auction process, and greater clarity on safety requirements.
Commenting on the proposal earlier in January, Interior Sec. Deb Haaland said that updated regulations “will facilitate the safe and efficient development of offshore wind energy resources, provide certainty to developers and help ensure a fair return to the U.S. taxpayers.”
