September 30, 2024 — The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says today it’s delaying an offshore wind energy auction.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) had planned the auction of potential lease areas for two offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast.
BOEM says today the auction delay is, “due to insufficient bidder interest at this time.”
A coalition of Oregon Native American tribes filed a federal lawsuit this month challenging BOEM’s plan.
On August 29, 2024, the Department of the Interior announced the Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Oregon following engagement through the Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force, including coordination with the State of Oregon on advancing opportunities for leasing that would precede a multi-year process for site assessments and subsequent review of any specific project plans if submitted. The FSN set an auction date for October 15, 2024, and included two lease areas offshore Oregon and identified the five companies qualified to participate in the sale. Following issuance of the FSN, BOEM received bidding interest from one of the five qualified companies.