Abstract
Over the last decade, the US offshore wind industry has experienced rapid growth. As of January 17, 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) had approved 11 commercial-scale offshore wind projects totaling more than 19 gigawatts of offshore wind energy.1 An additional 29 commercial leases had been issued along the East, Gulf, and West Coasts. 2 Three projects in federal waters (Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind-Pilot, South Fork Wind, and Vineyard Wind 1) plus one project in state waters (Block Island) had begun operations. Further, it was estimated that offshore wind projects that were in development as of June 2024 would provide enough electricity to power the equivalent of 22 million homes.3
Offshore wind projects provide clean, renewable electricity that reduces air emissions from the electric grid while helping to diversify and improve the reliability of the grid. 4 Offshore wind projects are also expected to support America’s energy independence and provide long-term economic benefits. The offshore wind industry has resulted in over $40 billion in industry investments, with over 1,900 supplier contracts.5 At the end of 2024, the offshore wind industry was projected to support up to 56,000 US jobs by 2030. 6 Many offshore wind projects also include workforce development initiatives to train candidates for offshore wind jobs.
US offshore wind projects undergo rigorous and lengthy leasing and permitting processes and have been the subject of research and environmental review by experts across academia, government, and industry for years. Before issuing offshore wind leases, BOEM conducts a multiyear, multi-step process in collaboration with other agencies, Tribes, and stakeholders to identify areas that are suitable for offshore wind development while avoiding and minimizing potential In the United States (US), offshore wind projects undergo rigorous leasing and permitting processes and have been the subject of research and environmental review by experts across academia, government, and industry for years. The federal permitting process, which can span over 7 years, thoroughly assesses the potential impacts of offshore wind projects on navigation, fisheries, national security, wildlife, and other resources. This process results in extensive measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those potential impacts, which are imposed through permits and approvals. Offshore wind projects provide clean, renewable electricity that reduces air emissions from the electric grid while helping to diversify and improve the reliability of the grid. Offshore wind projects are also expected to support America’s energy independence and provide long-term economic benefits. PAGE 8 impacts to the environment and other users of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Following lease issuance, the offshore wind federal permitting process can span over seven years and includes site characterization and assessment, Construction and Operations Plan (COP) preparation, review of the COP under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and several other federal reviews and consultations. Through the federal permitting process, the potential impacts of constructing and operating offshore wind projects on navigation, fisheries, national security, marine mammals, birds, and other resources are well documented and analyzed, and extensive measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate those potential impacts have been imposed on approved projects.
This document presents an overview of key issues that are considered as part of the leasing and permitting of US offshore wind projects. Section 2 provides a detailed review of BOEM’s offshore wind area identification and leasing process, and Section 3 describes the multi-step federal permitting and review process for individual offshore wind projects. Section 4 details communication and engagement between offshore wind developers and federally recognized Tribes, agencies, fisheries, and other stakeholders. Sections 5 through 9 describe the potential impacts of offshore wind projects on navigational safety, commercial and recreational fisheries, national security, visual resources and property values, and wildlife (particularly marine mammals, birds, and bats). These sections also describe the numerous measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential impacts that were implemented by BOEM during the area identification and leasing process or are imposed on developers through their permits and approvals. Section 10 briefly summarizes offshore wind developers’ plans for data collection, standardization, and sharing. Finally, Section 11 summarizes the key benefits of offshore wind development.