In a report released today regarding “Offshore Wind Energy: Actions Needed to Address Gaps in Interior’s Oversight of Development,” the Government Accountability Office examined potential impacts of offshore wind energy development and the mechanisms that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (in coordination with other agencies) has in place to oversee offshore wind development and the extent to which they address potential impacts.
Responding to a congressional request, among other things the report identified positive and negative impacts in areas such as marine life and ecosystems, commercial fishing, defense and radar systems, and jobs and the economy, and also highlighted uncertainties surrounding the extent of certain impacts and long-term and cumulative effects. It also found that while BOEM has sought tribal input, it “has not consistently engaged in meaningful [tribal] consultation” or “consistently demonstrate[d] efforts to consider or address [tribal] concerns,” and that tribes lack capacity to effectively engage BOEM.
As to fisheries stakeholders, the report found that BOEM has “taken steps to inform fisheries stakeholders about its process and efforts to incorporate their input” into the leasing process and has met with the fishing industry during that process, stakeholders “remain concerned that BOEM has not adequately considered or addressed [their] concerns,” and that “it is not clear how BOEM ensures that these stakeholders are consistently included in the process and informed of BOEM’s efforts to incorporate [their] input.”
Lastly, it cites opportunities for BOEM and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to “improve enforcement of lessees’ community engagement,” and notes that BOEM and BSEE lack a physical presence in the North Atlantic region where offshore wind construction is already underway.
GAO in turn recommends the following actions, all of which the Interior Department expressed general agreement with:
- Address gaps in BOEM’s approach to tribal consultation, including ensuring clearly documented decisions in annual tribal consultation reports, preparing and submitting to tribes a record of consultation describing input received, how it was addressed, and explanation where input was not incorporated
- Ensure that BOEM adequately demonstrated and publicly reports its consideration of fishing industry input
- Establish BOEM and BSEE guidance for lessees on communication and engagement plans, clearly define their respective agency roles and responsibilities, and develop plan to monitor implementation of communication and engagement plans
- Ensure sufficient BOEM and BSEE resources are in place to oversee offshore wind development, including through a physical office in the North Atlantic region
- Develop BOEM guidance and specific requirements for lessees’ data collection and sharing across offshore wind projects