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Salem, OR 97301-2540
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CZMA Public Review Meetings
DLCD is hosting a series of in-person meetings in coastal Oregon and one virtual webinar to provide background information on the State's review of the BOEM consistency determination and seek feedback from the public. Meetings are planned for the following locations and times:
Federal Consistency Determination & Associated Information
The Federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) proposes to issue leases within the designated Oregon Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) for the purposes of exploring offshore wind energy development projects. As described in the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Consistency Decision (CD) documents prepared by BOEM, the Proposed Action subject to the state's review is:
- The issuance of one commercial wind energy lease and associated easements within the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA) and one lease within Brookings WEA. The issuance of a lease only grants the lessee the exclusive right to conduct site assessments and to submit to BOEM a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) and/or a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) at a future date.
- A reasonably foreseeable effect of the issuance of the leases is that lessees would conduct environmental and site assessments in the lease areas and on the Outer Continental Shelf, such as vessel surveys, geotechnical exploration of the seafloor, and placement of anchored meteorological buoys.
In accordance with the Federal Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, BOEM has determined that the leasing activities planned for the Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore Oregon are consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the Oregon Coastal Management Program (OCMP), pursuant to the requirements of the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, (CZMA) and the Oregon Ocean Resources Management Act of 1991 (ORS 196.405–515).
The Consistency Determination documents may be found via the links below:
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BOEM Cover Letter
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Consistency Determination
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Appendix A: Enforceable Policy Analysis
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Appendix B: Draft Environmental Assessment
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Appendix C: BOEM Environmental Studies Relevant to Oregon
OCMP Federal Consistency Review
The Federal Consistency review evaluates the effects of BOEM's proposed leasing actions,and follow-on site assessment actions in federal waters, against the Enforceable Policies of the state coastal management program. The applicable enforceable policies for the proposed project have been identified by BOEM within the Consistency Determination that was submitted to the state for review, but are subject to change as additional information becomes available.
A Federal Consistency review will result in one of three potential outcomes:
- Concurrence – The actions as proposed are consistent with enforceable policies of the state coastal program.
- Concurrence with Conditions – The actions can be found consistent if the federal agency agrees with specific modifications or addendums to the action. If the federal agency does not agree, it becomes an objection. The state cannot enforce conditions under the CZMA after a consistency decision has been made.
- Objection – The actions as proposed are not consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the policies of the coastal program. Objections must describe how the action will not be consistent with specific enforceable policies, or how the federal agency has failed to supply sufficient information to make a determination of consistency (15 CFR 930.43).
Background Information
The Federal Consistency review will cover those actions within BOEM jurisdiction – namely, the activities that would occur on the Outer Continental Shelf outside of the state territorial sea boundary of 3 nautical miles offshore. However, the state also expects that lessees would conduct assessment activities within state waters, estuaries, or potentially onshore as a result of a BOEM lease decision. Actions outside of BOEM jurisdictional authority would be addressed by existing federal, state, or local authorities. Activities requiring other federal permits, such as from the US Army Corps of Engineers, would be subject to separate and future Federal Consistency reviews.
Additional details about the proposed actions and their effects may be found in the Environmental Assessment and Consistency Determination. BOEM has also issued a Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) with additional information regarding the specifics of its proposed lease stipulations, available on the BOEM website.
Under the reasonably foreseeable scenario, BOEM could issue leases for these site assessment activities in late 2024. Site Assessment Plans are expected to be submitted to BOEM within one year of lease issuance. For leases issued in late 2024, related activities in ocean waters could begin in spring of 2025. BOEM has indicated that lessees would have up to 5 years to perform site assessment activities before they must submit a Construction and Operations Plan . Therefore, BOEM expects site assessment activities could continue through early 2030 prior to a Construction and Operations Plan being submitted.
Important note: The decision to lease areas of the Outer Continental Shelf for offshore wind characterization and exploration activities does not equate to a decision to permit the construction or operation of an offshore wind development project. A BOEM decision whether to approve a Construction and Operations Plan for an actual wind energy facility would be subject to Federal Consistency review by the state at a later time, after years of additional site assessment and project design.
Federal Comment Opportunities
During the Proposed Sale Notice 60-day comment period, initiated May 1, 2024, BOEM will accept comment on the notice and hold an Oregon Renewable Energy Task Force meeting and an Auction Seminar.
During the Oregon WEA Environmental Assessment 30-day public comment period, BOEM will accept comment on the analysis document and hold a virtual public meeting on May 21, 2024. Meeting registration and more information is available at www.boem.gov/oregonea.