A group of fishing associations is expressing alarm over the Biden administration's proposal to lease 2 million acres in the Gulf of Maine for wind farm construction. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently finalized a wind energy area (WEA) to accommodate enough wind turbines to generate 32 gigawatts of energy, surpassing current state goals for offshore wind energy in the region.
The fishing associations, comprising 17 groups, criticize the rushed development process, citing inadequate consideration of economic, scientific, environmental, and cultural impacts. They highlight the lack of research on wind-marine environment interactions and urge for transparency and collaboration with fishermen.
