WASHINGTON — The Biden-Harris administration has announced an offshore wind energy lease sale in the Central Atlantic, as part of its efforts to bolster a clean energy economy. The Department of the Interior revealed that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will auction areas on August 14, 2024, which could generate up to 6.3 gigawatts of renewable energy, potentially powering up to 2.2 million homes.

"Across America’s coasts, we continue to see excitement and momentum for the Biden-Harris administration’s pursuit of a clean energy future," said Secretary Deb Haaland. "We are taking action to jumpstart America’s offshore wind energy industry and using American innovation to deliver reliable, affordable power to homes and businesses, while also addressing the climate crisis."

BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein emphasized the commitment to environmental responsibility: "We are excited to announce this sale and underscore our commitment to explore additional areas in the Central Atlantic for potential offshore wind energy development."

The initiative aligns with President Biden's Investing in America agenda, which aims to grow the economy through infrastructure rebuilding, private sector investments in manufacturing and clean energy, job creation, and combating climate change.

Since taking office, the Biden-Harris administration has approved eight commercial-scale offshore wind projects in federal waters. BOEM has conducted four offshore wind lease sales across various regions including New York, New Jersey, and the Carolinas.

The Final Sale Notice (FSN), set for publication on July 1, includes two areas: one offshore Delaware and Maryland (Lease Area A-2) covering 101,443 acres about 26 nautical miles from Delaware Bay; and another offshore Virginia (Lease Area C-1) covering 176,505 acres approximately 35 nautical miles from Chesapeake Bay. Seventeen companies have qualified for participation in the August sale.

In collaboration with NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, BOEM developed an ecosystem-based ocean planning model for selecting final lease areas. Detailed information on leasing provisions, auction details, evaluation criteria for bids, and procedures can be found on BOEM's website.

Several stipulations are included in the FSN to support workforce training programs and mitigate impacts on fisheries. These include a 12.5% bidding credit for bidders who commit to supporting workforce training or developing a domestic supply chain for offshore wind industry; another 12.5% credit is available for those contributing to a fisheries compensatory mitigation fund.

Additionally, lessees must make efforts to enter into project labor agreements during construction stages and maintain communication plans with Tribes and agencies.

BOEM will continue collaborating through the Central Atlantic Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to identify further potential areas for future leasing. This follows commitments made by both the Biden-Harris administration and Maryland state officials in recent memoranda aimed at evaluating additional wind energy areas off Maryland's shores.

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