CHINCOTEAGUE, Va. -- The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management(BOEM) now has it's eyes set on a massive area in the Atlantic Ocean. The feds are looking to open up more lease areas for potential projects.
BOEM made the announcement earlier this month, highlighting it's efforts to meet the Biden-Harris administrations goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.
It's still a big "if", but with that announcement comes the possibility of turbines ending up somewhere off the coast of Virginia. We spoke with people on Chincoteague on Thursday, and while we did hear some concerns, for the most part, there wasn't a whole lot of pushback from people on the island.
Elliott Simmons was drawn to Chincoteague ten years ago for it's calming scenery and relaxing atmosphere. It's why his family continues to come back every year.
So the idea of turbines off the coast could disturb the peace and quiet he's come to know.
"People come here for fishing of course, but they come here for the beauty of the island itself," said Simmons. "You don't want things, I almost used the word monstrosity, to overtake the barriers of the island."
While Simmons does enjoy his piece of mind while on Chincoteague, climate change is on his mind as well.
"They're[turbines] good for the environment I understand and if they're offshore, that's fine," said Simmons.
BOEM is looking at 13 million acres of open ocean in the Atlantic that is open for potential offshore wind projects. The area ranges from North Carolina all the way up to New Jersey. Virginia falls smack-dab in the middle.
Josh Williams is a commercial fisherman on Chincoteague, and told us on Thursday turbines could be a step in the right direction for the environment.
"I'm for clean energy, I mean it's got to be better than burning fossil fuels," said Williams.
BOEM's Director Elizabeth Klein provided the following statement in the federal agency's announcement from earlier this month:
“Today’s announcement kicks off the process for a second potential auction in the Central Atlantic and provides an important avenue to solicit information as we identify potential areas that may be suitable for future offshore wind energy leasing,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “BOEM looks forward to building upon years of working with ocean users, Tribal governments, and local, state, and federal agencies as we drive toward achieving the ambitious goals of the Biden-Harris administration to fight climate change and create good-paying jobs.”
This new effort is still very much in the early stages. People can submit written comments here until October 21st, 2024.
There are also a couple of opportunities for in-person hearings.
BOEM will hold an open house on September 24th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Ocean City Convention Center.
There will be another hearing on September 25th from 5:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Fairfield Inn and Suites in Rehoboth Beach.
At these meeting people will be able to write in comments and learn more about the planning process for these projects.