On June 11, 2021, the Department of the Interior announced a proposed sale of leases for offshore wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the New York Bight – an area of shallow waters between Long Island and the New Jersey coast. The areas available for leasing are proposed to be auctioned as eight leases, Lease OCS-A 0537 through Lease OCS-A 0544. Maps of the proposed areas can be viewed in the Energy and Infrastructure – Planning Areas theme map and in the Data Explorer. Additional information about the area proposed for leasing is provided on the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) page on New York Bight activities and in the Proposed Lease Sale Notice.
BOEM requests public comments on its proposal to auction eight lease areas in the NY Bight for potential commercial wind energy development. Comments are due by August 13, 2021. Stakeholders are encouraged to comment on any matters related to this lease sale that are of interest or concern to them. BOEM has identified certain issues as particularly important in developing this lease sale and encourages comments on how to address these issues through lease terms or stipulations. View the Questions for Stakeholders and instructions for sending written comments in the Proposed Sale Notice published in the Federal Register.
During the comment period, BOEM will host virtual meetings to share updates on BOEM’s renewable energy leasing process, provide an overview on how the proposed lease areas were chosen and discuss new lease stipulations that BOEM is considering in the proposed New York Bight auction.
