Florida Activities

Florida-FAU Lease Area
FAU Lease Area

Overview

Under the 2007 BOEM Interim Policy for authorization of the installation of offshore data collection and technology testing facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), BOEM identified four proposed lease areas (PLAs) offshore Florida. One applicant, Florida Atlantic University Southeast National Marine Renewable Energy Center, submitted an Interim Policy lease application for technology testing and resource assessment within three OCS blocks in PLA 1. A lease was executed with FAU Board of Trustees, effective June 1, 2014. Materials related to this lease are provided below.

The Interim Policy Lease was relinquished on May 31, 2016.

Environmental Review

In April 2012, BOEM published an EA for a 30-day public review period. The EA considered potential environmental impacts and socioeconomic effects from issuing a lease and associated activities, including surveys, installing mooring and telemetry buoys, and testing of equipment designed to use the Florida current to generate electricity. Below are documents related to the April 2012 EA.

After the comment period closed on the April 2012 EA, FAU SNMREC changed the scope of their proposed activities. BOEM considered the public comments, as well as potential impacts from the newly proposed activities and additional research findings, and decided to revise the EA. One revision included a new preferred alternative, Alternative C – Removal of Aliquot Containing High Slope Hard Bottom Area, which was added to avoid a potentially biologically sensitive area when conducting lease activities.

To address public comments and consider additional activities associated with the proposed action, BOEM published a revised EA and its Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Interim Policy Lease

BOEM executed an Interim Policy lease with FAU Board of Trustees, effective on June 1, 2014. The executed lease and map of the lease area are provided below.

Environmental Studies

BOEM has funded or considered numerous studies to collect information about the marine environment to support decisions concerning offshore renewable energy development. For more information, please visit http://www.boem.gov/Florida-Environmental-Studies/.

Public Engagement

BOEM coordinates OCS renewable energy activities with its federal, state, local, and tribal government partners through its renewable energy task forces. BOEM also coordinates public information meetings to help keep interested stakeholders updated on major renewable energy milestones. To obtain information discussed during these meetings click on the links below.

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