has confirmed to OPB that it will no longer participate in Oregon鈥檚 floating offshore wind lease sale on Oct. 15. Two other developers that they are also backing out.
These companies are on two areas available for wind energy development off the Oregon Coast. Mainstream Renewable did not answer questions about why it was no longer participating in the auction.
These businesses鈥� withdrawals come as Southern Oregon community groups have raised mounting opposition to the development of floating offshore wind. At least two counties, Coos and Curry counties, will be voting on whether or not to publicly oppose offshore wind, and a tribal group is suing over the federal government鈥檚 efforts.
The U.S. Department of Interior鈥檚 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, declined to confirm how many of the five bidders it deemed eligible were still participating in the upcoming auction. The agency claimed the number of bidders was 鈥渃onfidential鈥� before going into the auction. BOEM also declined to comment on whether the agency would delay the auction if only one bidder remains.
According to BOEM, the five companies are 鈥渓egally, technically, and financially qualified to bid.鈥�
OPB has reached out to all five eligible bidders to confirm their participation. So far, only Mainstream Renewable Power has replied.
Earlier this month, the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians to consider the environmental, cultural and economic impacts of the potential of floating offshore wind. The tribe鈥檚 intent is to delay BOEM鈥檚 upcoming Oct. 15 auction.
鈥淭he Tribe has heard that there may only be one qualified bidder left in the BOEM bid process. The Tribe believes it is in everyone鈥檚 interest to cancel the bid auction if that is indeed the case,鈥� tribes鈥� attorney Rick Eichstaedt told OPB in an email.
鈥淭he Tribe, elected officials, commercial fishing interests, and others asked BOEM to pause its process to allow for a better understanding of wind energy impacts and to allow the State Wind Energy Roadmap to be completed,鈥� he said. 鈥淐anceling the auction now allows that Roadmap process to move forward before an auction occurs in the future 鈥� which ensures that everyone, including wind energy proponents, have a better understanding of measures necessary to protect the Ocean environment, Tribal resources, commercial fishing, and coastal community and maximizing the benefits of wind energy to all of Oregon鈥檚 citizens.鈥�
Gov. Tina Kotek鈥檚 office did not respond to a request for comment.
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