US Government designated four tracts of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico for wind power development

In Louisiana, AP reported that the US Government designated four tracts of federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico off the Texas and Louisiana coasts for development of wind energy.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management announcement follows the first Gulf sale of leases for wind development earlier this year. That sale drew a $5.6 million bid from one company for one Gulf tract.

The agency said its next step will be to issue a formal notice for a proposed lease sale, which will be followed by a 60-day public comment period.

The designated four tracts of federal waters are:

– 495,567 acres (200,549 hectares) about 47 miles off the coast of Texas that could support wind power generation for 2.1 million homes.

-119,635 acres (48,415 hectares) about 61 miles off the coast of Texas, that could support wind power for 508,200 homes.

-91,157 acres (36,890 hectares) about 53 miles off the coast of Texas, that could support wind power for 387,450 homes.

-56,978 acres (23,058 hectares) about 82 miles off the coast of Louisiana that could support wind power for 242,000 homes.

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