SALEM – On July 17, 2024, after agreement with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for a short extension to the federal consistency review deadline, the Oregon Coastal Management Program of the Department of Land Conservation and Development (OCMP) issued its decision in a letter to BOEM today. The letter communicates a conditional concurrence for the proposed leasing action by BOEM for offshore wind energy exploration on the Outer Continental Shelf off the coast of Oregon  

The OCMP has determined that the federal agency’s proposed leasing activities are consistent with Oregon’s enforceable policies if the conditions documented in the decision letter are met. OCMP staff developed the conditions through consultation with many parties. The department and the OCMP program are grateful for the comment and guidance from Oregon’s federally recognized Tribes, state agencies, local governments, and from the more than 200 verbal and written comments received during the public comment period.  

“This concurrence with conditions allows the successful lessee the ability to gather the data necessary to respond to questions community members have asked about impacts to the ocean, coastal resources, and communities. This decision is separate from the future approvals that would be needed to construct offshore floating wind structures. If and when this future review occurs, it will include additional public process. We ask community members to remain engaged and to participate in the Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap process laid out by the 2024 Oregon Legislature. Participants in that process will help the state develop guidelines and sideboards to evaluate and ultimately determine if and how offshore wind becomes a viable option along the Oregon coast,” said DLCD Director, Brenda Bateman in issuing the concurrence with conditions decision. 

OCMP staff reviewed the proposed leasing action by BOEM after a Consistency Determination was submitted to the agency on April 30, 2024. DLCD is the state’s designated coastal zone management agency and has the authority under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act to review whether proposed federal activities affecting any coastal use or resource are consistent with the enforceable policies of OCMP.   

As described in the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Consistency Determination (CD) documents prepared by BOEM and provided to the OCMP, the approved actions subject to the state’s federal consistency review were the issuance of one commercial wind energy lease and associated easements within the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area (WEA) and one lease and associated easements within Brookings WEA. 

The issuance of a lease only grants the lessee the exclusive right to conduct site characterization activities and to submit to BOEM a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) and/or a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) at a future date. Specific cable corridors are not proposed as part of this action. 

A reasonably foreseeable effect of the issuance of the leases is that lessees would conduct environmental and site characterization activities in the lease areas and on the Outer Continental Shelf, such as vessel surveys, geotechnical exploration of the seafloor, and placement of anchored meteorological buoys. 

The department’s decision letter to BOEM is available on the DLCD Offshore Wind Energy Leasing webpage.

Through the review of this leasing action, staff received strong, clear, and abundant feedback indicating that many critical questions about the effects of offshore wind development to coastal uses and resources remain unanswered. Department and OCMP staff will be considering the community feedback and concerns expressed during the public comment period when providing guidance to lessees about the information the state would need to support review of a future project. This guidance will also be informed through the development of the Oregon Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap (as directed in House Bill 4080), which the department and OCMP staff will lead over the coming year.    

DLCD and OCMP staff invite interested community members to sign up to receive Offshore Wind Energy and upcoming Roadmap related communications. 

About The Oregon Coastal Management Program  

Oregon is one of 34 states to have a nationally recognized Coastal Management Program established by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972. The Oregon Coastal Management Program aims to protect coastal and ocean resources, and ensure livable, resilient communities on the Oregon coast. The Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development is the lead agency in the coastal program network, which also includes 11 state agencies and 42 city and county governments. Financial assistance for the Oregon Coastal Management Program is provided by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended, administered by the Office for Coastal Management, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

The Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD) administers the program in partnership with local jurisdictions. A seven-member volunteer board known as the Land Conservation and Development Commission (LCDC) guides DLCD.   

The land use planning program affords Oregonians predictability in the development process and the ability to plan and invest in the long-range by allocating land for industrial, commercial, and housing development, as well as transportation and farm and forest lands.   

Under the program, all cities and counties have adopted comprehensive plans that meet mandatory state standards. The standards are based on the 19 Statewide Planning Goals that deal with land use, development, housing, transportation, and conservation of natural resources. Technical assistance in the form of expertise and grants for local jurisdictions are key elements of the program.