US proposes New York Bight offshore wind lease sale
The Department of the Interior has proposed a sale for offshore wind development on the outer continental shelf in the New York Bight – an area of shallow waters between Long Island and the New Jersey coast.
The proposed sale notice (PSN) includes eight lease areas in the New York Bight which could be auctioned for commercial wind energy development. A PSN in the Federal Register has opened a 60-day public comment period and provides detailed information about potential areas that could be available for leasing, proposed lease provisions and conditions, auction details.
Comments received by the end of the public comment period will be made available to the public and considered before deciding whether to publish a final sale notice, which will announce the time and date of the lease sale.
To date, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has held eight competitive lease sales and issued 17 active commercial offshore wind leases on the Atlantic from Massachusetts to North Carolina.
In response, National Ocean Industries Association President Erik Milito issued the following statement: “As coastal states with massive populations and large economies, New York and New Jersey are integral to the development of American offshore wind. Wood Mackenzie expects that a wind lease sale in the New York Bight could end up supporting 32,000 jobs per year, US$3.3 billion in annual wages, and US$45.9 billion in total capital investment. A lease sale not only opens a door to investment in New York and New Jersey, but will support jobs and businesses throughout the US.
“Providing new offshore wind opportunities will boost critical investments into the supply chain, ports, and workers, and will provide a foundation for exceptional offshore wind growth.
“Offshore wind is truly a generational economic and energy opportunity, and one the Biden administration is seizing. Today’s announcement is a win for the American people, the energy industry and the environment.”
Source: Offshore Magazine