Massachusetts Opens Large Ocean Area to Commercial Wind Leases

State and local officials announced this week that 742,000 acres of ocean south of Martha’s Vineyard will soon be available for commercial wind energy leases.

The project would be the largest wind energy project in federal waters.

Gov. Deval Patrick, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management acting director Walter Cruickshank announced Tuesday that the Massachusetts Wind Energy Area will be available for commercial wind energy leasing. The area is about 12 nautical miles south of the Vineyard, extends 33 miles south and is 47 nautical miles east to west.  The Bureau of Ocean Management is proposing to auction the area as four leases.  The project would nearly double federal offshore areas available for wind energy projects.

Massachusetts Opens Large Ocean Area to Commercial Wind Leases