The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) held its second virtual Gulf of Mexico Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meeting on February 2, 2022. Established last year, the Task Force is a partnership between federal, state, and local agencies and Tribal governments tasked with coordinating renewable energy planning activities on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico. It serves as a forum to discuss stakeholder issues, exchange data and information about ocean use and resources, and facilitate collaboration opportunities.
On January 11, 2022, BOEM announced it is preparing a draft environmental assessment (EA) to consider potential offshore wind leasing in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The agency is also seeking public input concerning the development of offshore wind in these same areas in the Gulf of Mexico.
The draft EA, which will be completed this summer, will consider potential environmental consequences of site characterization activities (i.e., biological, archeological and geological, as well as geophysical surveys and core samples) and site assessment activities (i.e., installation of meteorological buoys) associated with the possibility of issuing wind energy leases in the Western and Central Gulf of Mexico.
Issuance of an Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) renewable energy lease does not authorize any OCS activities. BOEM's renewable energy leases only grant the exclusive right to submit plans for BOEM's consideration. Once a lease is obtained, a lessee may submit a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) describing how the lessee will conduct resource assessment activities, such as the installation of meteorological towers or buoys, and technology testing during the site assessment phase of the commercial lease. BOEM must approve the SAP before the lessee can install facilities or conduct activities described in the SAP. Following the completion of site assessment and characterization, a lessee may submit a Construction and Operations Plan (COP). The COP describes how the lessee will construct and operate a commercial wind project on a commercial lease. The COP includes a description of all planned facilities as well as a description of proposed construction activities, commercial operations, and conceptual decommissioning plans. BOEM must approve the COP before the lessee can install facilities or conduct commercial activities described in the COP.
Approval of a plan authorizing the construction of an OCS renewable energy project in the Gulf of Mexico would be subject to a detailed environmental analysis.
Public Engagement
How to Comment on the draft environmental assessment (EA):
Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to Regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2021-0092. Click on the blue “Comment” button in the upper left-hand corner of the page. Enter your information and comment, then click “Submit Comment.”
BOEM does not consider anonymous comments. Please include your name and address as part of your submittal. All comments submitted will be made part of the public record and will be posted publicly without change. Comments must be sent by or postmarked no later than 11:59 PM on Feb. 9th, 2022.
Cooperating Agencies
BOEM invites other federal agencies and Tribes to consider becoming cooperating agencies in the preparation of this EA.
The Council on Environmental Quality’s (CEQ) NEPA regulations specify that qualified agencies and governments are those with ‘‘jurisdiction by law or special expertise.’’ Potential cooperating agencies should consider their authority and capacity to assume the responsibilities of a cooperating agency and should be aware that an agency’s role in the environmental analysis neither enlarges nor diminishes the final decision-making authority of any other agency involved in the NEPA process.
BOEM, as the lead agency, will not provide financial assistance to cooperating agencies. Even if a governmental entity is not a cooperating agency, it will have opportunities to provide information and comments to BOEM during the public input stages of the NEPA process.
Environmental Science
Example of a meteorological (met) buoy
Source: National Data Buoy Center, 2012
The analysis covered in the EA will ONLY be for issuing leases and the site assessment and characterization activities. Examples of these activities include
Installation of meteorological (met) buoys or towers
Vessel trips
Geological and biological surveys
The analysis in the EA will NOT include information such as
Specific project layouts
Specific project cable routes
Visual impacts of a project
SPECIFIC projects will be analyzed
Later in the process
After a lease is obtained and project plan submitted
There will be additional opportunities for engagement and consultation at these later steps
The EA may be used for more than one lease auction; however, the analysis will be for a single auction. This is similar to BOEM’s conventional energy National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis.
What will be analyzed in the EA?
The affected environment in the Gulf of Mexico
Physical and Chemical Resources
Air Quality
Water Quality
Biological Resources
Coastal Communities and Habitats
Benthic Communities and Habitats
Pelagic Communities and Habitats
Fish and Invertebrates
Birds
Bats
Marine Mammals
Sea Turtles
Social and Economic Factors
Land Use and Coastal Infrastructure
Commercial Fisheries
Recreational Fishing
Subsistence Fishing
Tourism and Recreational Resources
Social Factors (including Environmental Justice)
Economic Factors
Cultural, Historic, and Archaeological Resources
Example of a Seafloor Survey
Impact-Producing Factors (IPF)
BOEM hosted four, sector-specific Gulf of Mexico Fisheries workshops January 19-20, 2022. Stakeholders shared information and discussed issues as BOEM prepares for development of potential wind energy areas and environmental reviews for offshore wind projects in the Gulf of Mexico. For more information on the meetings, go to https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/gulf-mexico-fisheries-summit.
October 28, 2021
On October 28, 2021, the Department of the Interior announced that it would publish a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) to further assess commercial interest in wind energy leasing in the Gulf of Mexico. The Call was published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2021, and triggers a 45-day public comment period ending on December 16, 2021.
The Call Area consists of almost 30 million acres just west of the Mississippi River to the Texas/Mexican border.
Before deciding whether and where leases may be issued, BOEM will consider the comments received on the Call, conduct an environmental review as required by the National Environmental Policy Act, and consult with appropriate Tribes, federal and state agencies to consider the environmental consequences associated with issuing commercial wind energy leases within the Call Area. After completion of its environmental review, BOEM will consider the existing uses of the Call Area, as well as feedback from the GOM Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force and the public. BOEM will then decide whether to publish a PSN to describe the areas available for potential leasing and the proposed terms and conditions of the leases. There will be multiple opportunities for public input throughout this process.
BOEM published Request for Interest (RFI) in the Federal Register on June 11, 2021, to assess interest in potential offshore wind development in the OCS. The RFI focused on the Western and Central Planning Areas of the Gulf of Mexico offshore the states of Louisiana, Texas, Mississippi, and Alabama.
During the comment period, BOEM convened its first Renewable Energy Task Force Meetings on June 15 to discuss the RFI and help coordinate planning, solicit feedback, and exchange scientific and process information.
The RFI comment period closed on July 26, 2021, and 39 comments were received in response. BOEM determined that competitive interest exists for an area identified by the RFI. As such, BOEM will publish a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) to further assess commercial interest in, and invite public comment on, possible commercial wind energy leasing in a proposed area within the RFI area.
The State of Louisiana sent a request to BOEM for the establishment of an intergovernmental task force. Given that renewable energy development in federal waters could affect natural, socioeconomic, and cultural resources shared in all Gulf states, BOEM recommended the establishment of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, a regional task force that includes Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas, along with relevant governmental entities (both state and local), in addition to interested
Federal agencies and tribes. This first taskforce was held June 15, 2021 in accordance with this request.
August 2020
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed Executive Order JBE2020-18 to establish the Climate Initiatives Task Force and set greenhouse gas emission reduction goals for the State of Louisiana.
Topic
Presentation Title | Presenter | Resources
Webinar Instructions & Guidance
Eric Poncelet, Facilitator, Kearns & West (K&W)
Welcome & Opening Remarks
Tribal Invocation | Amanda Lefton, Director, BOEM ; John Bel Edwards, Governor of Louisiana ; Mike Celata, Regional Director, BOEM Gulf of Mexico Region |Video
Task Force Member Introductions
Task Force Member Introductions & Agenda Review | All Task Force Members | Eric Poncelet, Facilitator, K&W | Video
Background Information & Task Force Orientation
BOEM Offshore Renewable Energy Program (OREP) Overview | Jim Bennett, BOEM |PDF, Video
Task Forces and Charter: Roles and Responsibilities | Idrissa Boube, BOEM | PDF, Video
Leasing Process Review | David MacDuffee, BOEM OREP | PDF, Video
Background Information and Task Force Orientation - Clarifying Questions |Video
Updates – Overview of State Renewable Energy Goals
