^®: CRE Regulatory Action of the Week

DOI Intends to Perform EA for Mid-Atlantic Wind Energy Areas
On February 9, 2011, the United States Department of the Interior published Federal Register notice of its intent to perform an Environmental Assessment for Mid-Atlantic Wind Energy Areas. This notice is published as an initial step for the purpose of involving Federal agencies, States, Tribes, local government, wind power developers, and the public in DOI's ``Smart from the Start'' wind energy initiative; to identify areas for wind energy leasing proposals; and to provide public notice of DOI's commitment to analyze the initiative's siting, leasing and site assessment decisions in accordance with the DOI regulations implementing the provisions of the National Environmental Policy Act.

On November 23, 2010, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced the "Smart from the Start'' renewable energy initiative. This initiative's goal is to accelerate responsible renewable wind energy development on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf by using appropriate identified areas, coordinated environmental studies, large-scale planning and expedited approval processes. DOI's Federal Register notice identifies Wind Energy Areas offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia as areas that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement has found, in consultation with other Federal agencies and State Renewable Energy Task Forces, to be suitable for consideration for wind energy development.

Comments should be submitted to BOEMRE no later than March 11, 2011.