Feds announce 2 million-acre site in Gulf of Maine for offshore floating wind project [Video]

Federal environmental officials announced Friday their selection of a 2-million acre site off the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire for an offshore floating wind project.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said the site, about 23 miles to 92 miles off the coast, is 80% smaller than its initially planned wind energy area after consulting with tribes, local residents, the fishing community and others.

The new area avoids conflicts with lobster fishing, North Atlantic right whale habitat and other fishing areas and habitats and seeks to avoid most of the historical and present-day fishing grounds of the tribes, the agency said.

A group of fishing interests, labor unions and environmental organizations that sought a compromise in selecting the area said in October they scored a victory with the BOEM’s exclusion of nearly an entire fishing ground called Lobster Management Area 1.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association said Friday it appreciates that the …