The Gulf South could soon benefit from wind energy generation thanks to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) finalizing two wind energy areas: one 508,265-acre area off the coast of Galveston, Texas, and one 174,275-acre area off the coast of Lake Charles, Louisiana. Together, they offer enough space for wind farms to generate enough power for more than 2.8 million homes. The agency made the announcement on Monday and expects to issue a Proposed Sale Notice by early next year. Once that notice is released, it kicks off a 60-day public comment period.
Making your voice heard on new infrastructure projects does indeed make a difference. BOEM acknowledged that feedback helped inform its decisions on these finalized wind energy areas. Government feedback also made a difference; BOEM ultimately shrank the footprint of both areas due to shipping and navigation concerns. The agency was originally eying 546,645 acres off the coast of Galveston and 188,023 acres off the coast of Lake Charles.
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Despite shrinking those areas, the proposed wind farms still offer major opportunities for both regions. NOLA.com notes that residents in both the Lake Charles and Galveston metro areas can look forward to the creation of more than 4,000 construction jobs and the generation of around $450 million in goods and services, citing a 2020 National Renewable Energy Laboratory analysis. The wind farm itself would support 150 jobs once in operation, bringing in $14 million to the economy.
For BOEM, these two wind areas represent the first steps of what’s to come. A 2020 report from the agency found that the Gulf of Mexico offers 25% of the country’s technical offshore wind energy potential. BOEM claims infrastructure and supply chains for offshore wind are compatible with the oil and gas industry, but many residents in communities burdened by fossil fuels would rather see that industry disappear altogether.
News of offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico comes shortly before fishermen, environmental organizers, and climate activists plan to demonstrate against the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry that has decimated parts of Southwest Louisiana and Texas’ Gulf Coast. This coincides with the Americas LNG and Gas Summit and Exhibition currently being held in Lake Charles. Fishers and shrimpers will participate in a boat parade along the Calcasieu River in the line of sight of the LNG summit, then will help lead a “teach-in” alongside other frontline community leaders.
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