The Biden administration announced last Friday the cancellation of a planned auction for offshore wind development rights off the coast of Oregon, following a direct request from the state’s governor, Tina Kotek. This decision represents a setback to President Joe Biden’s ambitious vision of deploying wind turbines along every U.S. coastline as part of a broader strategy to combat climate change.
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), a division of the Interior Department, cited a lack of interest from the offshore wind industry as a key reason for shelving the auction, which was scheduled for October 15. Although five companies had qualified to participate, only one expressed any interest in bidding on the lease areas. This cancellation marks the second time this year that BOEM has postponed an offshore wind lease sale, having previously called off an auction in the Gulf of Mexico in July due to similar challenges.
Earlier on Friday, Governor Kotek sent a letter to BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein urging the agency to halt offshore wind leasing off the Oregon coast. Her request came just two weeks after a coalition of Oregon tribes filed a federal lawsuit to block the sale, reflecting growing concerns from various stakeholders, including labor, fishing, conservation, and renewable energy groups. Kotek emphasized the need for more time to develop a comprehensive offshore wind “roadmap,” mandated by a state law passed earlier this year.
“I remain convinced that offshore wind holds exciting promise to be part of our nation’s clean energy future, but in Oregon, actions of significance must be done the Oregon way,” Kotek stated in her letter. She also announced that Oregon would withdraw from a federal, state, and tribal task force established to coordinate offshore wind planning within the state.
In its response, BOEM declined to comment on Kotek’s letter but noted that the Oregon sale had been announced after extensive engagement with the Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force. The growing sophistication of opposition to offshore wind projects, including several active groups in Oregon, has added complexity to the development of this nascent industry.