Interior finalizes plan to cut ‘redundant’ steps for offshore renewables

The Interior Department rolled out a final rule Friday to speed up leasing for offshore wind farms, an announcement that surfaced shortly before a Capitol Hill hearing on federal “roadblocks” to renewable projects.

The rule is aimed at cutting what Interior calls redundant steps in the current leasing process for offshore wind and other types of projects. It comes at a time when developers are eyeing construction of wind farms off the coasts of several Atlantic states.

Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) will publish the rule in Monday’s Federal Register. It is available here, and an Interior summary states:

This action is being taken because of a requirement in the federal offshore renewable energy regulations related to the non-competitive leasing process. Under the current regulations, if BOEMRE initiates the commercial wind leasing process and only one entity responds expressing interest in acquiring a lease in that area, the bureau must still issue a second Federal Register notice request for interest to again ensure there is no competitive interest in that area. This process can take several months, and the bureau determined that it is unnecessary and redundant. The rule announced today eliminates the requirement for the second request for interest and potentially could save up to six to 12 months in the leasing process.

House Republicans are preparing to criticize what they call red tape hindering energy development on federal lands and waters.

The House Natural Resources Committee is holding a Friday hearing titled “Identifying Roadblocks to Wind and Solar Energy on Public Lands and Waters.” BOEMRE Director Michael Bromwich is one of the witnesses.