Sending out a special message of appreciation to those elected federal legislators who took the time to hear us out on the topic of offshore wind energy and then wrote a letter to BOEM urging caution and making some very specific recommendations. You can read those letters on this page.
Here’s the thank you message we’ve sent out today:
Federal legislators lauded for weighing in on offshore wind
Representing Oregon’s coastal communities, two members of Congress and a U.S. Senator have put their concerns about offshore wind energy development in writing to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
After an outcry from commercial fishermen, ocean ecosystem scientists, wildlife interests, and the leaders of communities up and down the coast, Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Peter DeFazio, and Rep. Kurt Shrader provided a number of recommendations to BOEM in letters submitted on June 22, 2022.
In a joint letter, Wyden and DeFazio urged the federal agency “to take a thorough, systematic,
fully-inclusive, and collaborative approach to ensure that economic, environmental, and safety impacts of floating offshore wind facilities in the Coos Bay and Brookings Call Areas are understood and mitigated before moving any further in the siting process.”
The two also called out major flaws in the current planning model used by BOEM.
“Specifically, we request that you complete a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for wind energy off the entire Pacific Coast, move the Oregon Call Areas to minimize impact onsustainable fishing operations, and formally consult with all relevant stakeholders in the full siting process,” the letter said.
DeFazio also signed off on a letter joined by three other members of Congress. Rep. Kurt Shrader and two Washington members, Rep. Jaime Herrera Buetler, and Rep. Derek Kilmer, co-signed a letter urging an extensive federal review process and more meaningful engagement with stakeholder groups, which including the fishing industry, tribes, and coastal communities.
Heather Mann, executive director of Midwater Trawlers Cooperative (MTC), thanked the legislators who addressed the issue in advance of the June 28 close of the public comment period on the two call areas.
“On behalf of MTC and all Oregonian’s who have strong concerns with the current process and the potential negative impacts to the environment and our fisheries, I want to recognize and applaud these legislators for the courage to recognize and speak out about siting wind energy generation facilities off Oregon,” Mann said. MTC represents 30 commercial fishing vessels, many of which are owned by multi-generational fishing families.
“It does not mean that the legislators are anti-renewable or not working to address the climate crisis,” the director added. “These letters and recommendations to BOEM are evidence that the legislators want to address climate change and our transition to renewables in a thoughtful and rational way that protects our fragile ecosystem and all ocean stakeholders,” said Mann.
Others wishing to add their thoughts or concerns on offshore wind development to the public record are invited to do so at
https://www.regulations.gov/document/BOEM-2022-0009-0001