Offshore wind energy harnesses winds to generate renewable electricity. California identified offshore wind as a contributor to its clean energy and climate goals.
In 2022, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued five offshore wind leases in federal waters off California: two offshore of Humboldt County, and three offshore of San Luis Obispo County. The Coastal Commission conditionally concurred with BOEM’s consistency determinations (CDs), finding that the proposed lease sales were consistent with California’s coastal management policies. Details about the Commission’s 2022 reviews are available in the Documents and Resources section below.
Recognizing the importance of California’s tribal, commercial, and recreational fisheries, Condition 7c of CDs, and State Senate Bill 286 (2023) called for the development of a Statewide Strategy for the Coexistence of California Fishing Communities and Offshore Wind Energy (Statewide Strategy). The Statewide Strategy was developed by the California Offshore Wind Energy Fisheries Working Group (Working Group) which includes representatives from California Native American Tribes, fishing sectors, seafood processors, offshore wind leaseholders, and state and federal agencies. Meeting summaries from the two years of Working Group activities are available under the Working Group section below.
The Statewide Strategy is publicly available. The Statewide Strategy provides a guiding framework for offshore wind development to proceed in a manner that recognizes and protects California’s fishing communities. It presents a roadmap for proposed offshore wind projects to become consistent with California’s relevant Coastal Act policies that recognize and protect commercial and recreational fishing activities, tribal fisheries and associated facilities.
Working Group. The links below provide meeting summaries and the working group roster.
The Statewide Strategy will be discussed at two upcoming Coastal Commission Hearings:
Public comments are welcome in-person or virtually at Commission hearings. For details on public procedures, hearing schedules, and public comment registration, visit the Commission’s hearing agenda webpage.
The Statewide Strategy will be discussed at three virtual community meetings. Please follow the links to register:
On May 11, 2023 Commission staff organized a briefing on the current status of offshore wind permitting and science needs in California. Resources from the briefing are available below:
On September 9, 2021, Commission staff provided an informational briefing on the process of federal consistency review for the proposed offshore wind lease sale. A recording of the briefing is available under Item 7a on the September agenda (time stamp 1:08:22 on the video archive).
With the new development of California’s offshore wind resources in the coming years, comprehensive analysis of potential impacts and a commitment to environmental monitoring and adaptive management are central to ensuring coastal resource protection while also expanding the state’s renewable energy portfolio. The following two-pager provides insight into California's offshore wind energy resources, highlighting the Commission's role in reviewing impacts, the status of the state's two current wind energy areas, and the ongoing coordination efforts with other state agencies.
