The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is preparing a draft environmental assessment (EA) for offshore wind activities in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico, where the government agency is looking to narrow the identified wider area before advancing any Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) for lease sales.

“The Gulf of Mexico is well-positioned to support a transition to a renewable energy future, as much of the infrastructure already exists to support offshore wind development in the region” , said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton . “BOEM’s Environmental Assessment is an important step to ensure that any development in the region is done responsibly and in a way that avoids, reduces, or mitigates potential impacts to the ocean and to ocean users”.