FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing in the Gulf of Maine. This action sets an auction date of October 29, 2024 for eight offshore wind leases off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine. Combined, these areas have the ability to produce 13 gigawatts of clean, reliable offshore wind energy — enough to power 4.5 million homes and businesses across New England.
“Offshore wind is already delivering significant benefits to New England, from creating thousands of good-paying jobs to driving valuable investments in ports, manufacturing facilities, and grid infrastructure,” said Hillary Bright, Turn Forward’s Executive Director. “Today’s announcement of the first offshore wind lease auction in the Gulf of Maine brings us one step closer to expanding these opportunities for more Americans. Offshore wind not only furthers our energy independence by providing a reliable source of domestic clean energy; it also can strengthen communities by investing in local economies and creating family-sustaining jobs. Thanks to strong leadership from the state of Maine, the Biden-Harris administration, and local communities working tirelessly to advance an equitable clean energy transition, offshore wind power is on track to deliver transformational benefits to Maine and across New England.
This announcement follows BOEM’s final Environmental Assessment for offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine, released earlier this month, and builds on recent momentum driving offshore wind development on all coasts. Last month, the Department of the Interior held a successful offshore wind lease auction in the Central Atlantic, yielding nearly $93 million in high bids, and announced an auction for leases off the coast of Oregon on October 15, 2024. The first Gulf of Maine lease sale also builds upon recent momentum from BOEM’s execution of a historic floating offshore wind research lease in the Gulf of Maine last month and the state’s broader efforts to develop and advance Maine’s Offshore Wind Roadmap. The announcement also comes just ten days after the biggest offshore wind procurement in New England’s history, which will bring 3 GW of offshore wind energy online for the region.
For more information, visit BOEM’s Gulf of Maine activities page here.
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Turn Forward is an independent, non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to advancing an ambitious vision for American offshore wind power that meets today’s climate, economic, equity and environmental challenges.
For media inquiries, please reach out to media@turnforward.org.