Last week, the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) released their Federal Consistency Determination, responding to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) decision to lease two Wind Energy Areas off the Southern coast of Oregon.

In this letter, the state agency concurred with BOEM’s actions, responded directly to comments received during the recent public comment period, and incorporated a number of conditions for BOEM and prospective lessees to follow as they move ahead with leasing activities. 

Notably, DLCD’s conditions offer the strongest environmental mitigation measures imposed by any coastal state (to date). We are celebrating DLCD’s decision letter as a win for conservation, and evidence that the state is willing to take a strong leadership position in standing up for Oregon’s communities, marine resources, and fisheries as this off shore wind process continues.

Oregon Shores joined a number of coalition partners in writing a comment letter to DLCD, and we are pleased that DLCD adopted, and improved upon, many of our recommendations. Some highlights include:

  • Requirement that lessees coordinate with state agencies regarding their survey plans and provide data transparency to the public
  • Requirement that lessees coordinate their survey activities with each other to reduce overall impacts on fisheries and marine resources
  • Requirement that lessees develop anchoring plans to describe how the lessee will avoid impacts to sensitive seafloor habitats and cultural resources, including a 1000 foot buffer from the perimeter of any hard substrate, rock outcroppings, seamounts, or deep-sea coral/sponge habitat
  • Requirement that lesses employ a 250 ft buffer for all other bottom-disturbing activities (i.e. mooring, sediment sampling, equipment installation)
  • A vessel speed reduction requirement for minimizing the risk of vessel strikes on marine mammals and turtles
  • Marine wildlife protection and monitoring measures, including a requirement for observers on board survey vessels
  • Requirement that lessees conduct outreach with affected local communities in the development of their survey and construction plans

See the full letter from DLCD here for more conditions and responses to public comments. Thanks to everyone who participated in the public comment period. Your hard work and thoughtful comments paid off in a big way!

So, what’s coming next? 

BOEM is expected to release their Final Sale Notice and Environmental Assessment by the end of the summer, which will kick off a lease auction this Fall. The final leases (one in each Wind Energy Area) are expected to be issued by December of 2024. This will give lessees the exclusive rights to conduct site assessments in the lease areas and on the Outer Continental Shelf, to develop a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) and/or a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) at a future date. 

DLCD will begin developing a Roadmap for Offshore Wind this Fall (mandated by HB 4080), to prepare the state for opportunities and challenges ahead, including future federal consistency reviews. The roadmap process also aims to engage stakeholders in the creation of a coast-wide strategy to ensure Oregonian’s diverse interests are protected. Keep an eye out for opportunities to engage in this process.

See all our recent comment letters here:

  1. Environmental Assessment:
  1. Federal Consistency Review
  2. Proposed Sale Notice

 

Written by Annie Merrill, Ocean and Estuaries Manager.

Photo: Cape Arago by Alex Derr

  • Climate
  • Ocean