The Biden administration released a draft road map Wednesday to help floating offshore wind projects planned off the coast of California avoid disturbing marine animals and fishing areas.
The draft issued by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management could also help speed environmental reviews of floating offshore wind arrays because it lays out a suite of potential requirements that developers may have to follow to gain federal permits.
Measures in the draft include speed limits for boats, electrical shields on underwater cables, monitoring and alert systems for some marine mammals and communication plans with local fishermen. The analysis is one of the Biden administration’s final efforts to shape the nation’s offshore wind program before President-elect Donald Trump — an offshore wind critic — takes office in January.
“We believe that this comprehensive regional approach will foster efficiencies for future project-specific wind energy project environmental reviews, all while ensuring the protection of our ocean environment and marine life,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein in a statement.
