Tribe says it's reconsidering lawsuit with BOEM because of wind energy plan delay

COOS BAY, Ore. -- A group of Oregon's indigenous tribes who are challenging a federal agency's plan for offshore wind energy, or wind farms, along Oregon's coast are responding to the agency's delay of that plan.

The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians are responding the today's announcement by The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that it's delaying an auction of leases for wind energy from two planned offshore wind farms for "insufficient bidder interest."

"The Tribe commends the decision of both the Governor and BOEM to cancel the October 15 lease sale," said Tribal Council Chair Brad Kneaper. "The Tribe will now have an opportunity to focus on working with the State, commercial fishing interest, coastal communities, and others to understand what impacts and benefits offshore wind development before leases are sold. The Tribe intends to work with the State on its Roadmap process and engage with the federal government to ensure that Tribal concerns are addressed before future lease sales are considered."

BOEM said today it had interest from five bidders for the energy, yet only one of them submitted a bid.

The Confederated Tribes this month filed a federal lawsuit challenging BOEM's plan for two wind farms along Oregon's coast, one west of Brookings and the other west of Coos Bay, covering a combined 130,000 surface acres of Pacific Ocean.

"Cancelling the lease sale makes sense. The Tribe, elected officials, commercial fishing interests, and others have consistently urged that BOEM delay moving forward with wind energy development until a better understanding is made of the impacts to fish, wildlife, the marine environment, and cultural resources important to the Tribe," said Kneaper.  "The Tribe looks forward to working collaboratively to determine where the best places are to develop wind energy, minimizing the impacts to the Coast and our people. With this action, the Tribe will reconsider the litigation pending against BOEM."

BOEM says today the auction delay is, "due to insufficient bidder interest at this time."

BOEM says that last month the U.S. Department of the Interior announced a Final Sale Notice (FSN) for offshore wind leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Oregon, and, "The FSN set an auction date for October 15, 2024, and included two lease areas offshore Oregon and identified the five companies qualified to participate in the sale. Following issuance of the FSN, BOEM received bidding interest from one of the five qualified companies."

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