policy & regulatory

Siting

Offshore Wind Power’s Contribution to 20% Wind Energy by 2030 Webinar

The U.S. Department of Energy issued the 20% Wind Energy by 2030: Increasing Wind Energy's Contribution to U.S. Electricity Supply report in May, 2008, which included 54 gigawatts of offshore wind energy modeled in the 20% scenario analysis.  This level of growth will require coordination between state agencies, federal agencies and offshore wind developers.  Several panels at AWEA’s Offshore Workshop addressed the need for state and federal actions that will create a favorable climate for offshore wind development.  These panels brought together many stakeholders involved in offshore wind to learn from the recent progress in several states.  The webinar provides more information on agency / developer relationships and on the development of offshore wind projects in the U.S.  

• Dec. 2, 2008 - Offshore Wind Webinar PowerPoint
• Dec. 2, 2008 - Offshore Wind Webinar Recording (.wmv)

AWEA Siting Handbook

The Wind Energy Siting Handbook was developed by the AWEA Siting Committee to inform wind energy developers and other interested parties about environmental siting issues relevant to land-based commercial-scale wind energy project development in the United States. Please use the following link to access this extensive resource document: http://www.awea.org/sitinghandbook

Federal Siting Policies

Bureau of Land Management (BLM)

Wind energy projects proposed for land managed by BLM must follow BLM siting policies. The BLM maintains a wind energy policy website. BLM has developed a number of key documents on that site, including an Instruction Memorandum, a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS), as well as BLM’s Record of Decision on the wind policy.

• Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement
• Record of Decision to implement Wind Energy Development Program
• Wind Energy Development Policy Instruction Memorandum

AWEA provided comments at various times as BLM developed its wind energy policies.

• Dec. 19, 2003 – AWEA comments on BLM PEIS scope
• Dec. 10, 2004 – AWEA comments on BLM draft PEIS

AWEA and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) are currently advocating for sufficient resources to process wind energy and solar energy project applications. More information can be found in this document.

U.S. Forest Service

The U.S. Forest Service (USFS) can allow wind energy projects on Forest
Service-managed lands through special use permits. On September 24, 2007,
USFS released draft directives to guide wind development.

AWEA provided extensive comments to the draft directives. The “supplemental” comments are more comprehensive with information added after USFS extended the comment period:

• Nov. 16, 2007 – AWEA comments on USFS draft directives
• Jan. 23, 2008 – AWEA supplemental comments on USFS draft directives (Comprehensive comments)

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

On July 10, 2003, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) released
interim guidelines for wind energy development on private land. This guidance document was followed by a clarification letter from then-Director Steve Williams on the appropriate use of the interim guidelines. On March 13, 2007, the Secretary of the Interior announced that a federal advisory committee would be formed to provide the Secretary with recommendations on how to minimize impacts to wildlife at wind energy facilities. Information about the Wind Turbine Guidelines Advisory Committee is available from the USFWS.

AWEA commented on the original guidelines:

• Dec. 8, 2003 – AWEA letter to USFWS on interim guidelines
• Dec. 8, 2003 – AWEA comments on USFWS interim guidelines

Minerals Management Service (Offshore wind energy projects)

Section 388 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public Law 109-58) gave the Minerals Management Service (MMS) authority to regulate alternative energy projects on the Outer Continental Shelf, including offshore wind energy projects. Final regulations are currently expected by the end of 2008. Information on the MMS program is available at this website.

AWEA has commented extensively throughout the development of the MMS program:

• Feb. 28, 2006 – AWEA comments on MMS Advanced Notice
  of Proposed Rulemaking
• May 21, 2007 – AWEA comments on MMS draft PEIS
• Jan. 7, 2008 – AWEA comments on MMS interim policy
• Feb. 12, 2008 – AWEA comments on MMS draft lease
• Mar. 12, 2008 – AWEA comments on the Cape Wind draft PEIS
• Sep. 8, 2008 – AWEA comments on the MMS Proposed Rule 

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