Bureau of Ocean Energy Management July 21, 2023 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

BOEM announces the availability of the draft environmental assessment (EA) for the potential issuance of a wind energy research lease to the State of Maine. The draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the site characterization and site assessment activities that are expected to take place should this research lease be issued. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment period, as well as the dates and times for public meetings on the draft EA. After BOEM holds the public meetings and addresses public comments submitted during the review period, BOEM will publish a final EA. The EA will inform BOEM's decision whether to issue the research lease.

This Final Sale Notice (FSN) contains information pertaining to the areas available for commercial wind energy leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). Specifically, this FSN details certain provisions and conditions of the leases, auction details, the lease form, criteria for evaluating competing bids, and procedures for award, appeal, and lease execution. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will offer three leases for sale using a multiple-factor bidding auction format: Lease OCS-G 37334, Lease OCS- G37335, and Lease OCS-G37336 (Lease Areas). The issuance of any lease resulting from this sale will not constitute approval of project- specific plans to develop offshore wind energy. Such plans, if submitted by the Lessee, will be subject to environmental, technical, and public reviews prior to a BOEM decision on whether the proposed activity should be authorized.