- The federal government on Friday designated a vast area of water off the coast of New England for offshore wind energy development.
- According to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the development designation “avoids critical areas for lobster fishing, North Atlantic right whale habitat, and other important fishing grounds and habitat.”
- Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills and three of the state’s four federal lawmakers released a statement saying the plan “protects important fishing grounds and reduces potential environmental and ecological impacts to the Gulf of Maine.” We aim to keep it to a minimum.”
The federal government on Friday designated a vast area off the coast of New England for offshore wind development, setting the stage for potential lease sales in the Gulf of Maine.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said in a statement that New England waters, which renewable energy advocates say are critical to the growth of wind power, “avoid lobster fishing, North Atlantic right whale habitat, and other important fishing areas.” Stated. Region and Habitat. ”
Democratic Maine Governor Janet Mills and three Maine legislators (Republican Sen. Susan Collins, Independent Sen. Angus King, and Democratic Rep. Cherie Pingree) also released a joint statement stating that designated waters are “We are working to protect important fishing grounds and minimize potential environmental problems.” and ecological impacts on the Gulf of Maine. ”
America’s first large-scale offshore wind farm officially opens in New York, with more to come
The move comes a day after the U.S.’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm began operations off the coast of Montauk Point, New York. Environmental groups welcomed the announcement, but some commercial fishermen, who have opposed wind energy development in the area where they catch lobsters, said they still had concerns about installing offshore wind farms in the area. Stated.
Pictured above are the turbines at the Southfork Wind Farm, which became operational for the first time on Thursday, December 7, 2023. America’s first commercial-scale offshore wind farm is now operational. (AP Photo/Julia Nickinson)
“There are still too many unanswered questions about the impacts of offshore wind on the marine environment, commercial fishermen, and fishing heritage,” said Kevin Kelly, a spokesman for the Maine Lobstermen Association, a major fishing industry group.
Kelly said the organization appreciates that wind farms exclude some of the most important fishing groups, but that no area in the Gulf of Maine should be “industrialized with offshore wind.” He said he thought there was no such thing.
Several environmental and labor groups voted in favor of the proposal on Friday.
“In most cases, this designation has carved out the most sensitive areas and excluded them from wind turbine construction,” said Kate Sinding Daly, senior vice president of legal policy at the Conservation Law Foundation.
The wind farm consists of approximately 2 million acres off the coast of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, ranging from 33 miles to 92 miles off the coast, depending on location, BOEM said. The agency said development in the area could exceed the state’s goals for offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine.
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BOEM is expected to announce its intention to prepare an environmental assessment of the potential impacts of offshore wind leasing activities in the region in the coming days.
