WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH OFFSHORE WIND ON THE SOUTH COAST?

In September 2024, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced its decision to postpone the offshore wind leasing auction. The auction was postponed to address demands to adequately assess the potential impacts and meaningfully consult Tribes and local communities before implementing an offshore wind project in the South Coast. BOEM’s decision is a result of pressure from Tribes, the fishing industry, renewable energy, labor, and other community members. The current focus is creating an Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap for Oregon.

Learn more about this decision:

• • • • Read about the lawsuit filed by the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, challenging BOEM’s environmental assessment review and requesting to delay the leasing process and gather more information on the impacts on fish, wildlife, the marine ecosystem, and cultural resources.
      • Read Governor Kotek’s letter to BOEM requesting to postpone the auction so that Oregon can focus on a collaborative effort to create an Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap

OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY ROADMAP

The Offshore Wind Roadmap is a set of standards to guide Oregon’s evaluation of whether to move forward with floating offshore wind energy development. These standards will include considerations such as workforce development and environmental impacts, and creating or updating Oregon’s policies (for example, ocean policy, estuary management plans, labor policies, etc.) 

The roadmap process began in 2023, and was initiated by an ad-hoc working group that brought together representatives from labor, conservation, fishing, ports, climate justice and more (including Rogue Climate). After drafting a set of considerations for offshore wind in Oregon, the coalition passed HB 4080, directing the Department of Land and Conservation Development (DLCD) to lead a public process to create the official Roadmap. The Roadmap is now being written by DLCD in collaboration with a multi-sector group, the Roadmap Roundtable. All meetings are open to the public.

By participating in the Roadmap Roundtable, Rogue Climate’s goal is to uplift South Coast community members’ concerns and priorities. Look out for opportunities to engage through public comment on a draft of the roadmap, share public comment at meetings, and more. Sign up to receive updates from DLCD on offshore wind

In order for offshore wind to move forward on the South Coast, the process must meet these priorities:

Consulta tribal significativa y el respeto a la Soberanía Indígena. Meaningful consultation and prior and informed consent of Tribes on the South Coast who’s cultural and natural resources could be impacted by floating offshore wind must be required for a project to move forward.  

Participación de la comunidad de la costa sur en el proceso y toma de decisiones para garantizar que las comunidades de la costa sur (incluidos los representantes locales de las tribus, la industria pesquera, los biólogos marinos, los defensores de la justicia ambiental y más) estén en la mesa de planificación y toma de decisiones. 

Protecciones para el estuario de Coos Bay para asegurar impactos mínimos a este ecosistema esencial, pesquerías y recursos culturales. 

Strong sustainable labor provisions incluyendo capacitación laboral para personas que están en transición de otras industrias, contratación local y trabajos sindicales bien remunerados. 

Beneficios de la resiliencia energética local including working with local electric co-ops and larger utilities to ensure energy infrastructure improves on the South Coast so communities have reliable, affordable energy in the case of extreme weather or disaster.

Beneficios para la comunidad > Beneficios corporativos If leasing moves forward, BOEM should use a multi-factoral bidding process that awards leases based on a project merits, not price. This process must require developers to reach Community Benefits Agreements and Project Labor Agreements with Tribes, local seafood industry, environmental justice organizations, conservation organizations, labor, and other stakeholders directly impacted by the proposal.

¿QUÉ ES LA EÓLICA MARINA FLOTANTE?

Floating offshore wind is a relatively new renewable energy technology that places floating wind turbines off the coast in deep water.  This is the technology proposed off of Oregon’s South Coast because of the depths of the ocean floor. Floating turbines are attached to the deep ocean floor by cables. Energy generated by the turbines are transported to shore by cables under the water, and then connected to the broader electric grid.

Climate change requires that we transition away from fossil fuels and seek our sights on clean energy, but that transition must be just and beneficial for local communities. In order for offshore wind to be part of that transition on the south coast, it must be led by Tribes and community members, minimize harm to natural environments, and protect maritime industries from displacement.

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