Fed RFI: GoM wind power interest

The U.S. Department of the Interior (DoI) announced June 8 its intent to assess potential opportunities to advance clean energy development in the Gulf of Mexico as part of the president’s goal to create thousands of union jobs through the deployment of 30 GW offshore wind by 2030. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will publish a Request For Interest (RFI) in the Federal Register on June 11 to assess interest in potential offshore wind development in the GoM. The RFI will be focused on the western and central areas offshore in the adjacent to the states of Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama. Although the primary focus of the RFI is on wind energy development, BOEM is also seeking information on other renewable energy technologies. Once published, the RFI will open a 45-day public comment period to solicit interest and information on potential environmental consequences and other uses of the proposed area. BOEM will convene the Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to help coordinate planning and processing the information. BOEM will hold its first task force meeting June 15. The task force comprises members representing federal, Tribal, state and local governments from Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi and Alabama. (Source: Work Boat 06/08/21) Interior Department to look at offshore wind in the U.S. Gulf | WorkBoat