Oregon’s upcoming floating offshore wind lease sales have been canceled due to insufficient bidder interest.
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, said it was delaying the upcoming Oregon lease sale due to lack of interest. The agency says it will collaborate with the state and tribal governments to determine a future opportunity for a potential lease sale.
Earlier on Friday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek called on the federal government to cancel the floating offshore wind auction set for next month in Southern Oregon. Kotek sent a letter to BOEM requesting the agency “halt all current leasing activities off the coast of Oregon and terminate the current auction.”
In the letter, Kotek cites BOEM’s accelerated process over the past year has contributed to the growing opposition for the potential of floating offshore wind from renewable energy groups, labor, fishing industries and local communities.
“I believe that Oregon has no choice but to withdraw from the BOEM Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force in order to ensure that Oregon’s 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,” she said in the letter.
Earlier this week, OPB learned that at least two out of the five companies eligible to bid, Mainstream Renewable Power Inc. and BlueFloat Energy, will no longer participate in the Oct. 15 auction. Two other companies told The Oregonian/OregonLive that they are also backing out.
The opposition to Oregon floating offshore wind has grown exponentially over the past few months. The Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians filed a lawsuit against BOEM with the intent to delay the upcoming auction, and at least two counties, Coos and Curry, will be voting on whether or not to publicly oppose offshore wind.
Earlier this week, BOEM declined to comment to OPB on the number of bidders left in the auction, or whether it would delay the auction.
This story is developing. Watch for updates.
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This story comes to you from the Northwest News Network, a collaboration between public media organizations in Oregon and Washington.
