Environmental review finalised for Gulf of Maine offshore wind commercial lease

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the availability of its final environmental assessment (EA) of the Wind Energy Area (WEA) located in the US Gulf of Maine.

The final EA evaluated the potential issuance of commercial wind energy leases off the coasts of Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. It considered the potential environmental impacts associated with activities such as conducting surveys and installing meteorological buoys, but not the installation of offshore turbines, which would be assessed in a separate environmental review if a leaseholder submits a project proposal.

BOEM found that leasing and site assessment and characterisation activities will not have a significant impact on the environment.

On April 30, 2024, the Department of the Interior announced a proposed offshore wind energy lease sale in the Gulf of Maine, which would include eight potential leasing areas within the WEA offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. The eight areas total nearly one million acres (400,000 hectares) and have the potential to generate approximately 15 GW of clean, renewable energy and power more than five million homes.

On March 15, 2024, the Department announced that BOEM would prepare an EA on potential impacts from offshore wind energy leasing in the Gulf of Maine.