Four U.S. senators from New England have written a letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s acting director, urging the agency to develop offshore wind energy policies that “minimize conflicts” with other key stakeholders, including the fishing industry.
The 14 December letter, signed by U.S. Senators Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts), Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-Rhode Island), and Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), said they believe offshore wind plays a vital role in developing renewable energy strategies.
“Our states understand that smart planning and consultation with stakeholders, particularly the fishing industry, will allow offshore wind to flourish in the United States, protect important ocean resources, and maintain access for existing users,” the letter to Walter Cruickshank stated. “However, we have heard from our constituents who believe BOEM is not currently taking this balanced approach.”
The senators said the seafood industry creates nearly 90,000 jobs in their states and that the ports at New Bedford, Massachusetts, and Point Judith, Rhode Island, take in more than USD 380 million (EUR 332.8 million) in seafood landings.
“These communities, which have suffered federally-declared fishery disasters over the last decade, can ill-afford additional hardship from a faulty development process,” the lawmakers said.
In addition to making sure that fishermen and other stakeholders are treated fairly in the process, the senators gave Cruickshank a list of questions to answer by 4 January. The questions include what lessons the bureau has learned from Rhode Island’s Block Island project and how the agency plans to use comprehensive habitat database, funded by the bureau and created by NOAA Fisheries, in its decision-making process.
A spokesperson for the bureau told SeafoodSource on Tuesday, 18 December, that the agency has received the letter and appreciates the feedback from the senators. The bureau also will provide the information the elected officials requested.
“BOEM works closely with the fishing community throughout our renewable energy leasing process,” the spokesperson said. “For example, BOEM regularly engages with commercial and recreational fishermen to ensure that it fully understands their concerns from both a biological and socio-economic impact perspective. This is why over the past several years, the department has held over 100 meetings with commercial fishermen, to identify best locations and best management practices. As such, lessees will be expected to develop fisheries communication plans and identify fishery liaisons to serve as primary points of contact with the fishing community.”
Photo courtesy of U.S. Department of Energy
