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The move was announced Wednesday by US Home Secretary Deb Haaland and first reported by The New York Times.
Haaland said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is exploring leasing sales along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, the Gulf of Maine, New York Bight, the Central Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, as well as the off the Carolinas, California and Oregon.
“The Home Office is developing an ambitious roadmap as we push forward the administration’s plans to tackle climate change, create well-paying jobs and accelerate the country’s transition to a cleaner energy future,” Haaland said in a statement. “We have big goals for achieving clean energy savings and Interior is sticking to the timing.”
As part of this initiative, which spans multiple government agencies, the Ministries of Interior, Energy and Commerce have committed to a common goal of producing 30 gigawatts of offshore wind power in the United States. United by 2030. The Interior Ministry estimates that reaching this target would create nearly 80,000 jobs.
The Home Office has already started selling leases for some of the areas Haaland mentioned on Wednesday.
The administration announced in June a competitive lease sale for offshore wind in New York Bight – an area of ​​shallow water between New York and New Jersey – which it estimates could generate 7 gigawatts of power. , enough to power more than 2.6 million homes. .