Interior Must Ensure Responsible Offshore Wind Development – NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)

Teesside Offshore Wind Farm, United Kingdom

The Department of Interior is preparing to sell the first West Coast offshore wind leases in Morro and Humboldt Bays. While this is good news, it is essential for Interior to strike the right balance between greenlighting clean energy projects and protecting the rich and diverse waters off the West Coast. The terms in these first West Coast wind leases will set an important precedent for the industry moving forward.

We at NRDC heartily support offshore wind. The pace of climate change is accelerating, and we have only a few years to change our trajectory. Offshore wind is a promising source of renewable energy, with West Coast waters offering significant wind generation potential. Wind energy has an important role to play in Californias future resource mix and will support a reliable, cost-effective, and affordable clean energy transition.

Still, it is essential to ensure that offshore wind proceeds in an environmentally responsible manner. Offshore wind is still a new industry, and the type of technology floating wind turbines needed for deep West Coast waters, is relatively untested.

The ocean ecosystem off the California coast is uniquely vibrant, supporting an array of marine mammals, sea turtles, sea birds, and many other species. Our waters also support a valuable fishing industry, and the cultural traditions and livelihoods of Native peoples. And many others enjoy the ocean in a multitude of ways. We need to make sure that the ocean stays healthy for future generations.

In our commentsdeveloped with other West Coast environmental organizations and filed with the Department of Interiors Bureau of Ocean Energy Management todaywe urged the agency to take measures to carry out a robust analysis of environmental impacts and to ensure that developers abide by conditions that protect the environment.

We recommend that Interior conduct a comprehensive environmental review of the effects of offshore wind development along the California coast, including the effects of constructing and operating wind turbines. In addition, we recommend the Department require that prospective offshore wind developers:

We also asked the Department of Interior to ensure that the developer incentives used in the lease sale process bid credits, which make the price of securing a lease much cheaper for the developer support environmental and community goals. In particular, we asked Interior to:

This is an exciting time for the development of renewable energy on the West Coast, with California taking a strong position as a climate champion and leader. We urge the Department of Interior to develop offshore wind responsibly from the start and make sure that the industry proceeds in an environmentally sustainable manner.

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Interior Must Ensure Responsible Offshore Wind Development - NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council)