The United States is advancing plans for a second regional offshore wind energy auction in the Central Atlantic.
On Wednesday, the Interior Department's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced it will issue a Call for Information and Nominations for the Central Atlantic 2 sale. This call invites public input on potential commercial wind energy development in an area spanning 13,476,805 acres off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and North Carolina.
This second Central Atlantic Call is an early step in the leasing process. It follows the input and planning that led to the first Central Atlantic lease sale on August 14, 2024, which was the fifth offshore wind lease sale under the Biden-Harris administration.
BOEM will publish the Call for Information and Nominations for the Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) – Central Atlantic 2 in the Federal Register on August 22, 2024, initiating a 60-day public comment period that ends on October 21.
After the comment period closes, BOEM will review and analyze the nominations and comments received. The bureau will also consider feedback from Tribal consultations and the Central Atlantic Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to assess the suitability of the Call Area for offshore wind development and to identify draft Wind Energy Areas (WEAs). BOEM will conduct environmental reviews of these WEAs in collaboration with federal agencies, Tribes, state and local governments, and other key stakeholders. Following these reviews and consultations, BOEM may propose a competitive lease sale for areas within the WEAs.
“Today’s announcement kicks off the process for a second potential auction in the Central Atlantic and provides an important avenue to solicit information as we identify potential areas that may be suitable for future offshore wind energy leasing,” said BOEM director Elizabeth Klein. “BOEM looks forward to building upon years of working with ocean users, Tribal governments, and local, state, and federal agencies as we drive toward achieving the ambitious goals of the Biden-Harris administration to fight climate change and create good-paying jobs.”