MAINE PUBLIC • January 19, 2023
The Mills' administration's plan to build a first-in-the-nation floating offshore wind research array is being allowed to proceed. On Thursday, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management determined that the proposed site has no competitive leasing interest, which is being heralded by supporters as an important step forward in developing clean energy. The offshore wind research array would be 45 miles off the coast of Portland in a 15-square mile stretch of federal waters. It would feature up to 12 turbines on floating platforms pioneered by the University of Maine and allow research into how offshore wind affects marine life, as well as the fishing and shipping industry.