The Biden administration’s plan to hold an offshore wind sale off the coast of Oregon will not harm the environment, according to an analysis published Tuesday by the Interior Department.
The environmental review from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) comes ahead of the state’s first potential offshore wind lease auction. The Biden administration plans to hold that sale before the end of the year as part of a larger effort to bolster the nascent wind industry, despite pushback from fishermen and some lawmakers.
Oregon lags many other coastal states with offshore wind development. Despite hosting robust wind speeds off its coast, the state’s deep coastal waters would require an emerging offshore wind design that places turbines on floating platforms.
The Interior review, which was released ahead of publication in the Federal Register, states that that the effects of selling leases for offshore wind would be “negligible” on surrounding communities. BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein said Tuesday the agency uses the “best available science” in making decisions about wind power.
