The End of Offshore Wind Development in the U.S.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced yesterday it has rescinded all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, effectively ending the federal designation of more than 3.5 million acres previously targeted for offshore wind development.

This action aligns with Interior Secretary Doug Burgum’s Order 3437 – “Ending Preferential Treatment for Unreliable, Foreign Controlled Energy Sources in Department Decision-Making” and follows the Presidential Memorandum of January 20, 2025, which ordered the temporary withdrawal of all OCS areas from offshore wind leasing.

The decision impacts 11 previously designated WEAs across multiple U.S. regions including the Gulf of Mexico, North Carolina, Gulf of Maine, Oregon Coast, and California’s Morro Bay. Specifically, this includes four WEAs off Texas and Louisiana, three off North Carolina, one covering approximately 2 million acres in New England, and two floating WEAs totaling 195,000 acres off Oregon.

“By rescinding WEAs, BOEM is ending the federal practice of designating large areas of the OCS for speculative wind development,” stated the agency in its announcement.

This decision represents the latest in a series of federal actions opposing offshore wind development since President Trump took office in January 2025. On his first day in office, Trump implemented a complete withdrawal of all OCS areas from wind energy leasing through a presidential memorandum that remains in force until revoked.

The offshore wind industry had projected $65 billion in investments by 2030, supporting 56,000 jobs, with significant benefits for U.S. shipbuilding and maritime operations. The current administration’s actions mark a significant departure from the previous Biden-Harris administration’s goals of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 15 gigawatts of floating offshore wind by 2035.

While the order doesn’t affect existing lease rights, it mandates a comprehensive review of current wind energy leases for potential termination or amendment and extends to both onshore and offshore wind development pending environmental and economic review.