PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • May 28, 2024
Federal officials on Tuesday offered Maine a lease to research offshore wind turbines in the Gulf of Maine, moving the state closer to establishing a presence in the budding zero-carbon energy industry. The site is southeast of Portland, 28 nautical miles off the coast. If developed, it will include up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the lease, site assessment and related activities would have no significant impact on the environment. When the bureau announced a larger, 2 million acre site in March, it generally won praise, with some calls for greater protection of habitats and fishing areas. The agency said that area is 80% smaller than its initially planned wind energy area after consulting with tribes, local residents, the fishing community and others.