The Biden administration announced the cancellation of a planned auction for offshore wind development rights off the coast of Oregon after Governor Tina Kotek expressed her opposition to the sale. This decision represents a setback for President Joe Biden's initiative to install wind turbines along U.S. coastlines as part of broader climate change efforts. It also marks the second instance this year where the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has postponed an offshore wind lease sale, following a similar cancellation in the Gulf of Mexico in July.
In a press release, BOEM attributed the cancellation to a lack of interest from the offshore wind industry in the Oregon auction, which was slated for October 15. While five companies had qualified to participate, only one showed interest in bidding on the lease areas.
Earlier on Friday, Governor Kotek sent a letter to BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein, requesting a halt to the offshore wind leasing process. This request came just weeks after a coalition of Oregon tribes filed a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking the sale. Kotek highlighted concerns from various stakeholders, including labor, fishing, conservation, and renewable energy groups, and emphasized the need for more time to complete an offshore wind “roadmap” process mandated by a state law enacted earlier this year.
“I remain convinced that offshore wind holds exciting promise to be part of our nation's clean energy future, but in Oregon, actions of significance must be done the Oregon way,” Kotek stated in her letter. Additionally, she announced that Oregon would withdraw from a federal, state, and tribal task force established to coordinate offshore wind planning.
BOEM refrained from commenting on Kotek's letter, but it reiterated its commitment to collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies, as well as Tribal governments, to explore potential leasing opportunities and support ongoing stakeholder engagement on broader offshore wind considerations.
Source: Reuters
