January 8, 2021 — Fishermen say that Maine Gov. Janet Mills’ plan for a state-led offshore wind project is being rushed. And now news that a developer is considering a new commercial-scale wind project off the coast is adding to their fears.
In late November, the Mills administration announced that the state would seek a federal lease for up to 12 floating wind turbines off southern Maine that could produce enough energy for more than 70,000 homes.
Annie Hawkins, executive director of a fishing-industry trade group called the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance, says that could considerably strengthen fishermen’s hand.
“It’s certainly much stronger than it was. And I think a pure reading of the memo would say that fishermen have priority,” she says, “and that would put fishing operations in a really protected spot.”
Hawkins says it’s unknown whether the Biden administration will enforce that opinion. Burgess says the administration is studying the opinion’s potential ramifications. He adds that the next step in determining a lease site for a research array off Maine, a scoping session, will take place this month, although it has yet to be scheduled.