Oregon tribe sues over federal agency plans to hold an offshore wind energy auction

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — A tribe in Oregon whose culture is tied to the ocean is suing the U.S. government over plans to hold an offshore wind energy auction next month, saying the environmental analysis underpinning the sale was too narrow and based on a “predetermined political decision.”

The lawsuit, filed by the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, alleges the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management “failed to take a hard look at the impacts to the environment from private offshore wind energy development,” including those stemming from building and operating wind energy facilities, plus potential effects on aquatic and cultural resources and viewscapes.

“The lifestyle and culture of the Tribe is tied to Oregon’s rich coastal and marine waters, which support countless species of seabirds, marine mammals, fisheries, aquatic plants, and dramatic landscapes,” the lawsuit states, adding that the area “cannot sustain a drastic change in its workforce and culture, which will occur because of offshore wind projects.”

The case was filed in federal court in Oregon on Friday. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management had no comment, spokesperson Tracey Moriarty said by email Monday.

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Earlier this year, the agency finalized two areas for floating offshore wind farms along the Oregon coast. The zones cover roughly 195,000 acres (78,914 hectares), with one location 32 miles (52 kilometers) off the coast of Coos Bay, and the other 8 miles (29 kilometers) from the shore of the small city of Brookings, located near the California state line.

The agency released an environmental assessment in August that it said found that the issuance of leases would have no significant impacts to people or the environment. It subsequently set an Oct. 15 lease sale and said five companies had qualified to participate.

The lawsuit says little is known about how the development of offshore wind facilities might impact fish habitat, marine mammals or cultural resources. It says the agency’s analysis was not comprehensive.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has said any leases that might be issued would not authorize construction of a project and that any future proposed project would undergo an environmental review.

The U.S. Energy Department has said floating offshore wind is “key to transitioning dense population centers to clean energy, and would also mean thousands of jobs in wind manufacturing, installation, and operations.”

The Biden administration has set a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030.