The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has rescinded all designated Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) on the US Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), ending the possibility of their future use for offshore wind projects. WEAs in the Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Maine, the New York Bight, California, Oregon, and the Central Atlantic were originally established to identify offshore locations deemed most suitable for wind energy development.
In late January 2025, an executive order was signed, suspending the sale of offshore wind leases in federal waters, as well as the issuance of approvals, permits, and loans for onshore and offshore wind projects. In response to this decision, several companies have suspended work on the offshore wind projects they were developing off the US. This move is a fatal blow to the nascent US offshore wind industry.
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