Screenshot of Gulf of Maine offshore wind planning areas on the Portal’s interactive map.
Gulf of Maine In-Person Meetings for the Fishing Community – July 24-27
BOEM is hosting in-person meetings in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine in July 2023 to seek feedback and on-the-water knowledge from the Gulf of Maine fishing community to improve the spatial models used to inform draft Wind Energy Areas. The in-person meetings will provide an opportunity to meet with the BOEM team, learn about the data BOEM has received, and share feedback on how the spatial model is incorporating that data. The meetings will include a mix of plenary and smaller group conversations. There will be additional opportunities to further comment after the meetings.
BOEM’s Gulf of Maine page contains more information on how to join each meeting in Portland, Maine (July 24); Ellsworth, Maine (July 25); Rockport, Maine (July 26); Portsmouth, New Hampshire (July 27); and Plymouth, Massachusetts (July 27).
Before you go, check out some of the relevant datasets on the Portal:
- Map of Gulf of Maine offshore wind planning layers
- Commercial Fishing theme map showing map products derived from VMS data
Gulf of Maine Research Lease Draft Environmental Assessment – comments due August 21
In October 2021, BOEM received an application from the State of Maine for a research lease requesting 9,700 acres on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf in a location more than 20 nautical miles off the Maine coast. If developed, the research site would consist of up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy.
On July 19, 2023, BOEM announced the availability for the Draft Environmental Assessment (Draft EA) for a Wind Energy Research Lease on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine. The notice opens a 30-day public comment period, which ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on August 21, 2023.
During the comment period, BOEM will hold two virtual public meetings (August 1 and August 3), where the public can learn more about the review process, EA schedule, potential impacts from the proposed lease, and proposals to reduce potential impacts. There will also be an opportunity for participants to provide comments on the Draft EA. Visit the BOEM Gulf of Maine page for links to the Draft EA and more information on how to join each meeting.
Before you go, check out some of the relevant datasets on the Portal:
- Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array Preferred Site – use the Data Explorer tool to add layers to this map showing other activities and resources such as:
- Commercial vessel traffic, with a time slider showing how traffic changed over the course of 2022
- Existing fishery and habitat management areas
- All VMS vessels commercial fishing activity
- Commercial whale watching areas
- Baleen whales total abundance
- Map of other Gulf of Maine offshore wind planning layers
Screenshot of Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array Preferred Site (blue cross-hatched area) with 2022 All Vessel Transit Counts.
Screenshot of Maine Floating Offshore Wind Research Array Preferred Site (blue cross-hatched area) with Total Abundance of Baleen Whales.
