Particle.news
Download on the App Store
6 ARTICLES
·
12h ago

U.S. Rescinds Offshore Wind Areas, Removing Over 3.5 Million Acres

Industry groups warn of higher power bills following the Interior Department’s withdrawal of regional lease designations.

FILE - A generator and its blades are prepared for transport to the open ocean for the South Fork Wind farm in New London, Conn., Dec. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
Image art by Paul Gerke via ChatGPT-4o.
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) site; Photo: offshoreWIND.biz
FILE - Offshore wind turbines of South Fork Wind operate off the coast of Block Island, R.I., Oct. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)

Overview

  • The de-designation ends the federal practice of pre-regional site earmarking that underpinned wind lease auctions and removes more than 3.5 million acres of lease-ready waters.
  • The policy reversal fulfills a January 20 Presidential Memorandum that paused all offshore wind leasing and a July 29 Interior Department order ending preferential treatment for foreign-controlled energy sources.
  • Affected zones span the Gulf of America, Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, California, Oregon and the Central Atlantic, halting anticipated lease sales in those areas.
  • The withdrawal hinders the Biden administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind by 2030, relying on multi-stage designation and auction processes.
  • Oceantic Network warned the directives will drive up electricity prices, jeopardize grid reliability, cost jobs and leave billions in investments stranded.