STATEMENT: First offshore wind lease sale off US’ Pacific coast

Media Contacts
California

National
Johanna Neumann

Senior Director, Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy, Environment America

OAKLAND, Calif. — For the first time in history, the U.S. government on Tuesday started auctioning off sites for offshore wind development near America’s Pacific coast. The Bureau of Ocean Land Management (BOEM) took bids for the rights to develop wind turbines in five lease areas totalling about 373,000 acres. By the end of 20 rounds of bidding, investors had committed to a combined $400 million for the five sites — two near Eureka in Northern California and three near Morro Bay further south — which, when developed, could power nearly 1.6 million homes. BOEM says bidding will resume at 10:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

In response, Environment California State Director Laura Deehan and Environment America Campaign for 100% Renewable Energy Senior Director Johanna Neumann released the following statements:

“The auction today is a major milestone in California’s path towards investing in offshore wind,” said Deehan. “In just a few years’ time, our state will have a new and important tool in our fight against climate change. We are looking forward to the day when clean electricity from our coastal winds can be put to work cutting pollution from our homes, cars and industry.”

“Transitioning away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources has never been more important,” said Neumann. “There are immense public health and environmental benefits to getting our power from wind instead of fossil fuels. It’s exciting to see progress on offshore wind on all of America’s coasts. Full steam ahead!”

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