2 Wind Energy Sites Off Southern Oregon Coast Up For Auction Come October

Following a federal environmental assessment finding that wind energy harvesting at two sites off the Southern Oregon coast would not pose a threat, on Thursday, the Biden administration indicated that bidding to develop these sites would be opened in October.

Five areas off the California coast have already been auctioned by The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management which has also approved six projects on the East Coast to develop floating wind energy projects.

The Biden administration is planning for up to a dozen offshore wind energy auctions through 2028 targeting a total of 30 gigawatts of wind energy by 2030 to power over10 million homes annually.

Oregon’s planned Offshore Wind Roadmap is part of this year’s House Bill 4080. The bill lays the foundation for offshore wind energy, ensuring it complies with labor standards and has community input.

Southern Oregon Coastal Wind Farms

To meet its emission-reduction goals, Oregon must switch from fossil fuels to clean, renewable energy. A target of reducing emissions from fossil fuels by 50% by 2035- increased to 90% by 2050, has been set by the Department of Environmental Quality’s Climate Protection Program which is awaiting final approval.

Wind energy only accounts for a fraction of the state’s energy use according to the Oregon Department of Energy’s latest energy report, which reflected 7% wind power consumed in 2000.

The most powerful and consistent winds globally blow off the Southern Oregon coast. A  Bureau of Ocean Energy Management analysis found potential wind farms at sites off Coos Bay and Brookings would have no significant effect on people or the environment and the sites could generate over 3.1 gigawatts of renewable energy once fully developed. This could power 1 million homes.

In a release, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland said that Oregon’s first offshore wind sale follows years of engagement with state partners, tribes, ocean users, and industry. Haaland indicated that the administration is committed to building a sustainable and thriving clean energy industry.

The two sites being auctioned are:

• Coos Bay: Covering 61,200 acres 30 miles off the coast.
• Brookings: Covering 133,808 acres 20 miles off the coast.

Southern Oregon Coastal Wind Farm Objections

The federal environmental assessment indicates that noise from underwater surveying and potential entanglement in mooring systems and buoys associated with the wind farms will have negligible to moderate impacts on marine mammals and sea turtles.

Vessels striking wind turbine infrastructure pose a bigger risk according to officials. Potential harm from underwater noise, boat and air traffic, trash and debris, and accidental fuel spills are seen as negligible for marine and coastal birds.

Increased marine traffic during construction could see commercial fisheries experiencing minor issues and the companies developing projects will work with local fisheries to coordinate traffic during the installation and survey process.

Recreational fishing could be adversely affected intermittently over the next five years, especially albacore and tuna fisheries near Coos Bay, but a full recovery to recreational fishing is expected once construction is completed.

Members of the seafood industry and several locals oppose the developments, as do five Oregon and California tribes, and federal officials have been accused of failing to be transparent about their plans.

In November 2023, the tribal council of the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians passed a resolution opposing the sites, saying the bureau had not demonstrated that the development would not harm the tribes.

Few economic benefits were shown in the report for nearby tribes. The agency said it would include tribes in the environmental reviews and consult with them on any project proposals.

The report suggests the projects would bring an economic boost by creating jobs and bringing people to the area during construction, but the economic impact would be short-term and hard to measure.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has also been asked to intervene by a coalition of independent fishing boat operators, seafood companies, and industry groups seeking to stop the development. In November this year, Coos County residents will vote on a ballot on the development.

The four companies qualified to bid on Oregon leases are:

• Portland-based Avangrid Renewables
• Two Spanish companies: BlueFloat Energy and Ocean Winds
• Irish company Mainstream Renewable Power

The mayor of Brookings, Isaac Hodges,  said earlier that allowing multinational corporations to come in and do as they wish felt like a lot of hypocrisy.

See also: 2.4 GW Offshore Wind Energy Project Opposed In Brookings