The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) would like to share two comment opportunities related to new offshore wind leasing and fisheries compensation that are available this month through the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
- BOEM issued a Requests for Information (RFI) notice about “Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS)” and is seeking input on possible commercial wind energy leasing on the OCS offshore the U.S. central Atlantic coast through June 28. Information about the RFI and ways to submit comments can be found online at regulations.gov. For more maps and descriptions about recent Central Atlantic activities, check BOEM’s Central Atlantic Activities website.
- In December 2021, the department shared a related BOEM RFI pertaining to offshore wind fisheries compensation. That comment period closed in January and BOEM and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – National Marine Fisheries Service is using feedback from that request to develop a draft compensation framework for offshore wind. BOEM has scheduled an East Coast meeting on June 14 to discuss this topic and the framework for “Reducing or Avoiding Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Fisheries.” Registration information, as well as other sessions, can be found on their website. The next comment opportunity on the draft framework itself will be linked from this page when available.
