The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), operating under 2005 amendments to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act (OCSLA), which authorized BOEM to issue leases for energy projects other than oil or gas, has awarded 13 leases for offshore wind (OSW) farms on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) adjacent to the Atlantic Coast. Many of these lease holders are experienced European offshore wind developers that have opened offices in the United States. Lessees are preparing to submit Construction and Operation Plans (COPs) to BOEM; BOEM is simultaneously working on streamlining the federal review process and proposing new wind energy areas.

Originally published in the September 2018 edition of Ocean News & Technology.