Oregon Offshore Wind Watch—BOEM Publishes Proposed Sale Notice and Draft Environmental Assessment | JD Supra

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Publishes Proposed Sale Notice for Offshore Wind Energy Lease Auction in Oregon

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published a proposed sale notice for an offshore wind energy lease auction in Oregon. The auction is anticipated to occur in October 2024. Comments on the proposed sale notice are due on July 1, 2024. A draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for the lease sale has also been released, with a comment period open until May 31, 2024.

Oregon Proposed Sale Notice

The proposed lease sale in Oregon includes areas within the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA) and the Brookings WEA. These areas have an estimated combined generation potential of about 2.4 gigawatts (GW). The lease areas have not changed since the designation of the Final WEAs. The Coos Bay lease area is 133,792 acres, while the Brookings lease area is 61,203 acres. Further restrictions on the developable area are expected to ensure navigational safety and protect sensitive seafloor habitats.

Bidding credits will be available for bidders who commit to supporting workforce training programs for the floating offshore wind energy industry, developing a domestic supply chain for the industry, or both. Bidding credits will also be available to bidders who commit to entering Lease Area Use or General Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) with tribes, local communities, ocean users, or stakeholder groups affected by offshore wind energy development in the WEAs. Bidding credits will be calculated as a percentage of the whole bid instead of the cash portion.

The comment period on the proposed sale notice closes on July 1, 2024. BOEM is seeking input on various elements of the lease sale, including potential lease terms requiring a commitment to utilize union jobs and provide stakeholder engagement. BOEM is also considering whether a bidder should be limited to acquiring only one lease area. After the comment period, BOEM will review the comments and bidder qualifications before preparing and publishing the final sale notice.

The Oregon Draft Environmental Assessment Is Published

BOEM has also published the draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for Commercial Wind Lease Issuance on the Pacific Outer Continental Shelf. The EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of BOEM’s proposed leases in the Oregon WEAs. The draft EA focuses on the issuance of commercial wind energy area leases and the granting of rights-of-way and easements to support offshore wind energy development, including site assessment activities. The impacts associated with the siting, construction, and operation of wind energy facilities are not considered in the draft EA.

What Comes Next

Potential bidders in Oregon should review the proposed sale notice and anticipate the issuance of the final sale notice in the summer, with the lease auction expected to take place in October 2024. Developers should consider the suggested lease terms, bidding credits, and the impacts identified in the draft EA and public comments when preparing lease bids and development plans.

Endnotes

1. A proposed sale notice was also published on May 1, 2024, for the Gulf of Maine. These two proposed sales follow BOEM’s announcements of sales to be held in the Central Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico in the coming months and its announcement on April 24 of a five-year leasing schedule.
2. For more information on BOEM’s designation of final WEAs, refer to our prior alert.
3. More details regarding the bidding credits and process for qualifying can be found in the Bidders’ Financial Form Addendum.

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SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Analysis

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
• SDG 13: Climate Action
• SDG 14: Life Below Water

The article discusses the proposed sale of offshore wind energy leases in Oregon, which is connected to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) as it aims to promote the development of renewable energy sources. It also relates to SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) as it can create job opportunities and stimulate economic growth through the development of the offshore wind industry. Additionally, it addresses SDG 13 (Climate Action) by promoting the transition to clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Lastly, it is connected to SDG 14 (Life Below Water) as it mentions the need to ensure navigational safety and protect sensitive seafloor habitats during offshore wind energy development.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.
• Target 8.2: Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading, and innovation.
• Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable.
• Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
• Target 14.2: Sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts.

Based on the article’s content, the specific targets identified are related to increasing the share of renewable energy (Target 7.2), promoting economic productivity through innovation (Target 8.2), upgrading infrastructure for sustainability (Target 9.4), integrating climate change measures into policies (Target 13.2), and sustainably managing marine ecosystems (Target 14.2).

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator 7.2.1: Renewable energy share in the total final energy consumption
• Indicator 8.2.1: Annual growth rate of real GDP per employed person
• Indicator 9.4.1: CO2 emission per unit of value added
• Indicator 13.2.1: Number of countries that have integrated mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning measures into their national policies, strategies, and planning
• Indicator 14.2.1: Proportion of national exclusive economic zones managed using ecosystem-based approaches

The article does not explicitly mention indicators, but based on the identified targets, the following indicators can be used to measure progress: Indicator 7.2.1 (renewable energy share), Indicator 8.2.1 (GDP growth per employed person), Indicator 9.4.1 (CO2 emissions per unit of value added), Indicator 13.2.1 (integration of climate measures in policies), and Indicator 14.2.1 (proportion of managed exclusive economic zones).

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

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Fuente: jdsupra.com

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