Oregon鈥檚 upcoming floating offshore wind auction has been canceled due to insufficient bidder interest.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Interior鈥檚 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, said it was delaying the upcoming Oregon auction due to lack of interest. The agency said only one of the five companies eligible to bid was still interested.
It鈥檚 still possible that offshore wind will eventually be developed off the Southern Oregon coast. BOEM says it will collaborate with the state and with tribal governments to determine if there鈥檚 a future opportunity for a lease sale, and it will work with them on the development of the state鈥檚 .
Environmental groups, fishing industry representatives and local tribes praised Friday鈥檚 decision to cancel the planned Oct. 15 auction. They鈥檝e about how development could affect fisheries and the marine environment.
鈥淭his is not only a huge relief to the fishing industry, but to all Oregonians who want to understand what the impacts from floating offshore wind energy development could be to the environment, fisheries, and coastal economies,鈥� Midwater Trawlers Cooperative Executive Director Heather Mann said in a statement.
Hours before BOEM鈥檚 announcement, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek had called on the federal government to cancel the floating offshore wind auction, set for next month in two areas off the Southern Oregon coast.
requesting the agency 鈥渉alt all current leasing activities off the coast of Oregon and terminate the current auction.鈥�
In the letter, Kotek said BOEM鈥檚 accelerated process over the past year has contributed to the growing opposition to floating offshore wind from renewable energy advocates, labor groups, the fishing industry and local communities.
鈥淚 believe that Oregon has no choice but to withdraw from the BOEM Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force in order to ensure that Oregon鈥檚 interests are fully protected, and that we have adequate time to complete our state Roadmap with engagement and participation of key constituencies and the public,鈥� she said in the letter.
Oregon opposition to floating offshore wind has grown exponentially over the past few months. The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians with the intent to delay the upcoming auction, and at least two counties, Coos and Curry, will be voting on whether to publicly oppose offshore wind.
Tribal Chair Council Brad Kneaper praised Kotek鈥檚 letter and BOEM鈥檚 decision to cancel the auction.
鈥淐anceling the lease sale makes sense,鈥� he said in an emailed statement. 鈥淭he Tribe, elected officials, commercial fishing interests, and others have consistently urged that BOEM delay moving forward with wind energy development until a better understanding is made of the impacts to fish, wildlife, the marine environment, and cultural resources important to the Tribe.鈥�
Many groups, including BlueGreen Alliance which works to unify labor unions and environmental organizations, said canceling the auction represents a delay that will allow Oregon to spend more time working on its Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap.
鈥淥ffshore wind continues to be a critical opportunity for Oregon to meet its 100% clean energy goals by 2040, address climate change, and provide economic opportunities for Oregon workers and businesses,鈥� BlueGreen Alliance鈥檚 Oregon Senior State Policy Manager Ranfis Villatoro said in a statement. 鈥淗owever, building large renewable energy infrastructure takes time and Oregon owes it to its communities and coastal ecosystem to do it the right way.鈥�
The Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap will create guidelines and standards to be considered during offshore wind development. Those range from effective community engagement, creation of energy workforce and protecting the environment.
The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development will be the agency leading the development of the roadmap. It鈥檚 .
This is not the first time BOEM has canceled an offshore auction due to lack of interest from developers. Earlier this year, it . The agency said only one company expressed interest.
It is not clear when BOEM might propose another lease sale in Oregon.
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