On August 29, 2023, BOEM held the first-ever offshore wind energy auction for the Gulf of Mexico region, resulting in one lease area receiving a high bid of $5.6 million. RWE Offshore US Gulf, LLC was the winner of the Lake Charles Lease Area, which has the potential to generate approximately 1.24 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity and power nearly 435,400 homes with clean, renewable energy.
Winners and high bids for each of the lease areas and a Round-by-Round Summary are identified below.
As required by the lease, RWE is required to develop three publicly available communication plans. Additional information is provided below.
- The Native American Tribes Communication Plan will describe the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with federally recognized Tribes and outlines methods for engaging with and disseminating information to federally recognized Tribes with cultural and/or historical ties to the lease area. This plan will be ready by August 31, 2024.
- The Fisheries Communication Plan will describe the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with commercial and recreational fisheries prior to and during activities in support of the submission of a plan, such as a Site Assessment Plan or Construction and Operations Plan. The plan will include information on the distribution of “Notice to Mariners” and other outreach and coordination. Additionally, the plan will include RWE’s Fisheries Liaison as a primary point of contact and a process to file complaints with RWE and seek replacement of or compensation for lost gear. This plan will be ready by May 31, 2024.
- The Agency Communication Plan will describe the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with federal, state, and local agencies with authority related to the lease area. The plan will outline specific methods for engaging with and disseminating information related to permits and trust resources to these agencies. This plan will be ready by May 31, 2024.