Full Title: Offshore Wind Public Participation Guide
Author(s): American Wind Energy Association and the University of Delaware’s Special Initiative on Offshore Wind
Publisher(s): American Wind Energy Association and the University of Delaware’s Special Initiative on Offshore Wind
Publication Date: January 23, 2020
Full Text: Download Resource
Description (excerpt):
Offshore wind power is an exciting new frontier for American energy production, where technological advances, business opportunity, and policy are converging to unlock a reliable natural resource. Offshore wind will bring tens of thousands of highly-skilled U.S. jobs, strengthen coastal economies, and deliver vast amounts of reliable, clean energy to America’s largest population centers.
America’s first offshore wind farm came online in 2016 in Rhode Island state waters. As of January 2020, there are 15 active commercial lease areas for offshore wind development in federal waters, with more in the works. Interested parties, including members of the general public, industries, all levels of government, non-governmental organizations, and educational institutions, have numerous opportunities to provide feedback throughout the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (“BOEM”) regulatory process. Public participation from other ocean users, including the fishing industry and coastal communities, is essential to help the United States fully realize the benefits
of offshore wind power.
This guide is meant to draw attention to the opportunities for public comment in BOEM’s regulatory process for commercial offshore wind development to ensure an American offshore wind industry that works for coastal communities, traditional ocean industries, and U.S. national security interests.