March 13, 2024 3:40 a.m. 

On Tuesday, Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, along with Congresswoman Val Hoyle asked federal officials to extend the initial comment period for the development of environmental assessment leasing activities in the Coos Bay Wind Energy Area and the Brookings Wind Energy Area off the south Oregon coast.

A joint release said the three lawmakers wrote in their letter to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that the political impacts from the two wind energy areas warrant additional public engagement beyond the 30 days ending March 15th. That follows the agency’s notice last month to prepare environmental assessments of both.

In the letter to BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein, the lawmakers wrote, “Tribes, the fishing community, and others throughout Oregon’s coastal communities are currently working to develop comments that will inform the Environmental Assessment for the Wind Energy Areas, including impacts to the ocean ecosystem, environment, fisheries, view sheds and other important resources”. The letter continued, “We request an extension of the comment period to allow for robust comments that will set the most complete stage for future analysis. We believe that an extension will serve the Tribes, coastal and fishing communities and ultimately BOEM by allowing ample time to prepare meaningful scoping comments”.

They also thanked Klein for extending the comment period before the February 13th BOEM decision – as they had requested last year – to allow Oregon coastal communities more time to submit comments and concerns.