BOEM Advances Offshore Wind Leasing in Guam
January 3, 2025
In support of the current administration’s goals to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030 and 15 GW of floating offshore wind energy capacity by 2035, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced the publication of a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) for possible wind energy leasing off the coast of the U.S. Pacific Territory of Guam.
This Call will gather public comments to inform potential leasing areas, and results from close collaboration with the Government of Guam, which aims to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy sources by 2035 and 100 percent by 2045.
“Responsible offshore wind development off Guam’s coast offers a vital opportunity to expand clean energy, cut carbon emissions, and reduce energy costs for Guam residents,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.
The Department has worked to meet the moment to grow a clean energy economy that is strengthening the nation’s power grid and creating good-paying jobs across construction, manufacturing, shipbuilding, and more. In addition to the approval of the nation's first 11 commercial scale offshore wind projects, BOEM has held six offshore wind lease auctions since 2022 – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and Gulf of Maine coasts. The Department has also taken steps to grow a sustainable offshore wind industry by encouraging the use of project labor agreements, strengthening workforce training, bolstering a domestic supply chain, and through enhanced engagement with Tribes, fisheries, underserved communities and ocean users.
The Call will publish on Jan. 6, 2025, initiating a 90-day comment period ending at 11:59 ET on April 7, 2025, during which the public can submit relevant information on site conditions, marine resources, and ocean uses near or within the Call Area. Concurrently, wind energy companies can nominate specific areas they would like to see offered for leasing.
During the Call comment period, BOEM will engage with Indigenous Peoples, stakeholder organizations, ocean users, federal agencies, the Government of Guam, and other parties to identify conflicts early in the process as BOEM seeks to identify areas where offshore wind development would have the least impact. This information will be used to significantly narrow the area to be considered for future offshore wind leasing.
The Call requests information on one contiguous area around the island that comprises approximately 2.1 million acres. The area begins about 3 nautical miles from shore at its closest points, in water depths ranging from approximately 350 to 2200 meters. For more information on the Guam Call, including a map of the area and instructions for commenting, see BOEM’s Guam webpage.
BOEM will consider public comments and commercial nominations in response to the Call to analyze potential use conflicts before designating specific wind energy areas (WEAs) within the respective Call Area. If BOEM receives commercial interest in wind leasing offshore Guam, the next step will be to identify WEAs for leasing consideration within the larger Call Area. BOEM will then conduct environmental reviews of the WEAs in consultation with appropriate federal agencies, Indigenous Peoples, the Government of Guam, and other key stakeholders. After completing its environmental reviews and consultations, BOEM may propose one or more competitive lease sales for areas within the WEAs. There will be multiple opportunities for public input throughout this process.
