On Jan. 19, 2023, BOEM announced the Determination for No Competitive Interest (DNCI) for the State of Maine's research application. BOEM's determination means it will move forward with the State of Maine's research application, which could be used to inform any future commercial offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine, as well as the deployment of floating offshore wind technology nationwide.

Today, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published the DNCI in the Federal Register.

The determination of no competitive interest does not guarantee that the State of Maine will receive a research lease. The next steps for processing the research application include initiating an environmental review of potential impacts from offshore wind leasing activities associated with the research lease.

On Aug. 18, 2022 BOEM announced its Request for Interest (RFI) to gauge commercial offshore wind planning and leasing for 13,713,800 acres in the Gulf of Maine, and recently held information exchange meetings on the topic. BOEM is reviewing feedback in response to the RFI announcement.

More information about offshore wind planning efforts in the Gulf of Maine can be found on BOEM's website.

-- BOEM --

The Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is responsible for America's offshore energy and mineral resources. The bureau promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf.