On November 16, 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced eight draft Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) off the Atlantic coast as part of the Biden administration’s goal of deploying 20 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.[1] The draft WEAs would cover about 1.7 million acres offshore Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. BOEM identified these WEAs through a process that considers possible impacts on local resources and ocean users. The proposed areas represent a subset of the original 3.9 million acres of the Call Area that the Department of the Interior announced for public comment in April 2022. The agency is now seeking comments on potential conflicts with the draft areas, such as commercial fishing and marine habitat areas. Comments will be accepted through December 16, 2022. The draft WEAs may be reduced after the BOEM considers input from the Defense Department, the Coast Guard, NOAA Fisheries, and private ocean users like commercial fishers and environmental groups.

[1] https://www.boem.gov/newsroom/press-releases/boem-identifies-draft-wind-energy-areas-central-atlantic-public-review-and