Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced today that he was approving the Cape Wind Project, the Nation’s first deep water offshore wind project. Secretary Salazar’s decision overcomes a recommendation from the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) to disapprove the Project because of impacts to properties listed in or eligible for listing in the National … Continue Reading
In late February, the Associated Press reported that the Minerals Management Service received proposals from two Virginia companies for leases on the outer continental shelf to develop offshore wind farms. Apex Wind Energy Inc. is proposing to lease 116,000 acres for an undetermined number of wind turbines with the potential to generate up to 1,500 … Continue Reading
The Maryland Energy Administration has issued a Request for Expression of Information and Interest to gather information from industry representatives on the potential for offshore wind development in the state. The MEA is also simultaneously initiating a study to evaluate opportunities for offshore wind energy on the Maryland coast (state waters) and the Outer Continental … Continue Reading
On June 23, 2009, the Minerals Management Service, a division within the U.S. Department of Interior, issued five limited leases to offshore wind energy developers for wind data collection on the Outer Continental Shelf. These leases will allow for the construction of meteorological towers to collect site-specific data on wind speed, intensity, and direction. The data collected under … Continue Reading
As promised in a recent blog entry, we’ve issued a client alert providing a detailed analysis of the final Minerals Management Service (MMS) regulations governing leases for energy production on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), including wind and ocean energy. Please contact us with any questions!… Continue Reading
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) has issued its final regulations for renewable energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Stoel Rives attorneys are reviewing the 579-page rule now and will provide further updates soon!… Continue Reading
