The Federal Government on Friday, Canceled Oregon’s Offshore Wind Lease Sale over Insufficient Bidder interest. The Announcement from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the same day Gov. Tina Kotek (D) sent a Letter to the Agency asking it to Stop the Oct. 15th Auction and Threatening to withdraw from a Federal Offshore Wind Energy Task Force.
Coastal Tribes and Fishermen who have Vehemently Opposed the possibility of Floating Wind Farms off the Oregon Coast hailed the Decision as a Victory.
“This is not only a huge relief to the fishing industry, but to all Oregonians who want to understand what the impacts from floating offshore wind energy development could be,” said Heather Mann, Executive Director of Midwater Trawlers Cooperative, a Fishing Group based in Newport.
It’s the Second Offshore Wind Lease Sale called Off by the Federal Agency. In July, the BOEM Canceled a Gulf of Mexico Auction, also due to a Lack of Competitive Interest, Spokesperson John Romero said.
The Cancellation is the latest Setback for the fledgling U.S. Offshore Wind Industry, which has faced an uncertain Landscape in recent years, including soaring Costs, countless Legal Challenges filed by Local Governments, Fishing, Environmental, and other Groups, and Negative Press in the wake of a recent Blade Failure on the East Coast.
In Oregon, the Government had been poised to Auction Two Offshore Wind Energy areas totaling nearly 195,000 acres, one near Coos Bay and the other near Brookings. Federal Officials had said the Ttwo areas could generate about 3 gigawatts of Renewable Energy if fully Developed, enough to Power about 1 million Homes.
It would have taken at least 10 years for any floating Wind Project to Launch: Five years for Preliminary Survey and Monitoring Work and another Five for Construction.
The Federal Bureau has said the Issuance of a Lease during the Auction doesn’t guarantee Approval of Project-Specific Plans to Construct Floating Wind Farms, as Design and Construction Plans would be subject to additional Environmental, Technical, and Public Reviews.
Kotek cited Lack of Market readiness and Growing Opposition from Coastal Communities and State Legislators, as well as a Tribal Lawsuit, as the Reasons for Halting the Lease Auction. The Governor also expressed concern about the Non-Competitive nature of the Auction, given that most Developers deemed Eligible to participate No longer Plan to Bid.
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