Biden Charts Path for Floating Wind Turbines Off Maine Coast
- Public comment request sets stage for leases in Gulf of Maine
- Research aims to investigate effects on commercial fishing
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The Biden administration is taking steps to advance offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, setting the stage for potentially the first floating turbines deployed in US waters.
With formal notices being issued Thursday, the Interior Department is soliciting public feedback on selling wind development rights across some 13.7 million acres (5.5 million hectares) of Atlantic waters along the Maine coast. At the same time, the department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is seeking public input on Maine’s bid for a research lease to test how floating turbines affect the state’s thriving fishing industry.