US congressman introduces bill prohibiting wind power development in Maine lobstering zone

U.S. Representative Jared Golden (D-Maine) has introduced a bill in Congress that would block commercial offshore wind development from Lobster Management Area 1, and require a new study of how federal agencies are conducting environmental reviews for potential wind projects in the Gulf of Maine.

“BOEM’s decision not to remove one of the most lucrative and productive fishing grounds in the region from consideration for commercial offshore wind projects is just the latest in a series of unrelenting challenges to Maine fishermen,” Golden said in announcing the bill Thursday, 22 June. “Prohibiting commercial wind development in LMA 1 protects Maine fishermen's way of life and of making a living for their families and their communities, just as they have for generations.”

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has identified more than 9.8 million areas of federal waters in the Gulf of Maine for consideration as wind energy areas for future leasing to developers. The U.S. Bureau of Offshore Energy Management published a call for information 25 April on potentially leasing offshore wind development areas in the region. The agency included LMA 1 “and areas closed seasonally or permanently to protect the North Atlantic right whale, as potential commercial offshore wind sites,” according to Golden.

“Prohibiting offshore wind development in LMA 1 would help to avoid conflict with the New England commercial and recreational fishing industries,” he said.

A week ago, Maine’s congressional delegation sent a letter to BOEM urging the agency to minimize potential conflicts between wind power development and Maine’s fishing industries.

The agency has had other recent pushback, such as a call from Oregon Governor Tina Kotek and that state’s congressional delegation to revamp BOEM’s study of potential wind power areas along the U.S. West Coast. Like the Gulf of Maine, future offshore wind projects in deeper Pacific waters would require use of floating wind turbine platforms with arrays of cabling and anchoring.

Maine fishing advocates praised Golden’s measure.

“I am very pleased and proud to support Congressmen Golden in the Northeast Fisheries Heritage Protection Act. As we move forward towards energy goals that leave many fishermen uneasy; this act protects our heritage lobster fishery,” said Virginia Olsen, a commercial lobsterman and director of the Mainer Lobstering Union. “As fishermen, we have participated in countless Zoom meetings, hearings, and written multiple letters to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and we still have over half of our federal fishery in BOEM's call area. The Northeast Fisheries Heritage Protection Act would stop the leasing of Lobster Management Area 1 for commercial wind federally opening siting outside our lobstering grounds.”

The U.S. Government Accountability Office is set to undertake a study of how BOEM has reviewed East Coast wind projects, at the behest of U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-New Jersey).

Reporting by Kirk Moore

Photo courtesy of JPlourde/University of Maine