MMS presentation

Maureen Bornholdt manages the federal government's Minerals Management Service's alternative energy program. She's discussing the agency's interim policy on offshore renewable energy development. MMS typically leases federal offshore waters for oil and gas development; recent interest in offshore renewable technology has led MMS to adopt a new, interim policy to govern short-term leases for renewable energy projects. When a comprehensive long-term policy is finalized, MMS will offer longer-term commercial leases for offshore projects.

MMS has also designated offshore regions as priority areas for offshore renewable energy research, and has already received applications for 16 projects in those waters. The closest one to us in Maine is in the Cape Cod channel, where tidal currents may make underwater tidal current turbines commercially feasible.

Bornholdt emphasizes that their agency is expediting the process to approve a finalized policy.