BOEM Gulf of Maine Proposed Sale Notice Public Meetings
The following message is being sent on the behalf of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
On April 30, 2024, BOEM announced its proposal for a first offshore wind energy auction in the Gulf of Maine and an accompanying a 60-day public comment period (comments due by July 1, 2024). The proposed sale would include eight lease areas offshore Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, totaling nearly 1 million acres. BOEM invites you to attend in-person and virtual meetings in May and June 2024 where BOEM seeks feedback on the various aspects of the proposed lease areas, including size, orientation, and location of the eight lease areas, and which areas, if any, should be prioritized for inclusion or exclusion from the Lease Sale. BOEM is also seeking public comment on potential lease stipulations regarding vessel transit and baseline environmental monitoring. Upcoming engagement meetings with BOEM will provide opportunity for feedback from the fishing community and the public-at-large. To submit public comments, log on to Regulations.gov and search for BOEM-2024-0026.
To find out more: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/maine/gulf-maine
In-Person Meetings
Open House Meetings: BOEM will host three “open-house” style meetings to allow the public to talk with BOEM’s scientists and other personnel. This informal format allows people to ask questions and share information directly with BOEM employees on the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN). At the meetings, there will also be official presentations followed by an opportunity for questions and answers focused on the Proposed Sale Notice. While the meeting will not be recorded, the Q&A session will be summarized thematically and later entered as a meeting summary on the Proposed Sale Notice docket on Regulations.gov. The majority of the meeting time will be focused on providing the public with opportunities to engage directly with BOEM subject matter experts at poster stations.
Attendees can submit official public comments for Regulations.gov, either in writing or via oral recording and transcription at a Comment Station:
Open House – Portland, Maine
- Date: Tuesday, May 28, 2024
- Time: 5-8pm
- Location: Holiday Inn Portland-by the Bay (88 Spring Street Portland, ME 04101)
- Registration
Open House – Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Date: Wednesday, May 29, 2024
- Time: 5-8pm
- Location: Urban Forestry Center (45 Elwyn Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801)
- Registration
Open House – Danvers, Massachusetts
- Date: Thursday, May 30, 2024
- Time: 5-8pm
- Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, North Shore (50 Ferncroft Rd, Danvers, MA 01923)
- Registration
Virtual Meetings
Members of the public are welcome to attend any of the meetings below, however, user specific meetings will focus conversation on the stated topics and prioritize participation by those from the sector of focus. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers focused on the Proposed Sale Notice. Comments or questions during public input opportunities will be captured in a high-level meeting summary that is entered on the Proposed Sale Notice docket on Regulations.gov; however, we will not be transcribing individual comments during virtual meetings.
General Public
Commercial Fishing (Mobile & Fixed Gear)
Recreational Fishing and Highly Migratory Species
Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations (eNGOs)
Commercial Maritime (Shipping)
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