BRIEF OVERVIEW: In 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) awarded two lease areas 20-30 miles west of Humboldt Bay to offshore wind developers. BOEM’s environmental review process for offshore wind development is separated into two analyses. First is environmental impact assessment of the impacts of the studies that need to be done, such as the use of buoys, radar, and sonar. Next, after studies of the lease areas are complete, Environmental Impact Statements will analyze impacts from construction and operation of the wind turbines. These processes will be done separately for the two lease areas.Also in 2022, the California Coastal Commission reviewed plans for studying marine life in the proposed Humboldt Wind Energy Area, 21 miles west of Humboldt Bay. We submitted these comments and these comments. The plans for studies were approved with seven conditions, including a vessel speed limit of 10 knots (11.5 mph) to decrease the likelihood of collisions with whales and other marine mammals.In 2023, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District issued a Notice of Preparation for the proposed Heavy Lift Terminal in Samoa. We submitted these comments on the potential impacts that must be addressed in the Draft EIR, which is being developed. For more info, check out the website we developed with colleagues at EPIC and CORE Hub: FAQs on Offshore Wind Energy.LATEST NEWS on Offshore Wind Energy:
The federal government recently awarded $426,000,000 to the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District for the design, permitting, and construction of an offshore wind Heavy Lift Terminal on the Samoa Peninsula.
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On January 11, 2024, the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation & Conservation District committed to developing a green terminal strategy for the new offshore wind terminal. This is a big win for Humboldt Bay and the climate!
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The Port of Virginia rang in the New Year by celebrating an impressive accomplishment: it is now entirely powered by clean energy, becoming the first East Coast port to accomplish the feat.The Port of Virginia is powering all of its terminals with electricity from clean resources and accelerating its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2040. This milestone puts the port eight years ahead of its original 2032 benchmark of using clean energy to power operations.The port was already sourcing some of its electricity for its on-terminal cargo operations from renewable sources and a power purchase agreement approved by the Virginia Port Authority Board of Commissioners meant to expand access to clean energy. The agreement allowed the Virginia Department of Energy to allocate an additional 10% of the energy from 345 MW of solar projects from Dominion Energy along with the port’s proportionate share of the original contract.Keep Reading
On Thursday, the Humboldt Bay Harbor District, which manages the port, committed to using electricity instead of diesel to power the terminal’s machinery. The net-zero emissions goal will be implemented as the harbor develops a terminal where giant offshore wind turbines will be built.In the coming years, Humboldt Bay is expected to be one of the leading ports for the deployment of floating offshore wind turbines on the West Coast. But that requires a new terminal built from the ground up.Matthew Simmons from the Environmental Protection Information Center said a green terminal is a no-brainer, since California has already set green-energy targets in the coming years.“If we were to build it all out with fossil fuels today, and then have to undo it and rebuild it all with electricity in 20 years, that would end up costing quite a lot more," Simmons said. "So building it right the first time is gonna save us money in the long run.”Keep Reading
The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC) released a historic research plan that sets priorities for all stakeholders to fully avoid, minimize, and mitigate any harms to wildlife caused by offshore wind energy development in much of the U.S. Atlantic Ocean. The new plan is the first of its kind in establishing a collaborative regional approach to study potential effects of offshore wind on birds as well as marine mammals, sea turtles, bats, fish, and ocean habitats along the East Coast.Read More
The federal government recently awarded $426,000,000 to the Humboldt Bay Harbor, Recreation, and Conservation District for the design, permitting, and construction of an offshore wind Heavy Lift Terminal on the Samoa Peninsula. 
