Wind turbines from Dominion Energy’s project off the coast of Virginia Beach. (Photo by Virginia Mercury user Sarah Vogelsong)
Friday, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management put out its final report on the wind energy area in the Gulf of Maine.
The agency looked into it and decided that leasing operations in the Gulf of Maine, like surveys and putting up weather buoys, will not have a big effect on the environment.
However, the agency did not look at the effects of putting offshore turbines in place. According to BOEM, those effects would be looked at in a separate environmental review if a leaseholder submitted a project plan.
Director of BOEM Elizabeth Klein said, “We are committed to making sure that future offshore wind development proceeds in a way that reduces potential impacts on other ocean activities and the surrounding ecosystem.”
BOEM says that the Gulf of Maine will have eight commercial lease areas off the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. These areas could produce 15 gigawatts of clean energy, which is enough to power more than 5 million houses.
BOEM also gave the state of Maine a study area lease for up to 15 square miles in federal waters about 30 miles southeast of Portland at the end of May.
It will have up to 12 floating turbines that will help scientists learn more about how floating offshore wind works and how it affects wildlife in the water. In August, the state government and the federal government agreed to rent the study array.
The Offshore Wind study Consortium for the state has set study priorities for the array. These include environmental questions like what kinds of birds and bats might be in danger from floating wind turbines.
Maine Morning Star spoke with Stephanie Watson, who is in charge of the state’s offshore wind program. Watson said she hopes that the study array will help shape future projects on a larger scale.