Over 79,000 Acres Off New York Atlantic Coast Set for Wind-Energy Leases

The Obama administration, as part of its plan for reducing carbon-based pollution and creating clean-energy jobs, has completed the United States’ sixth lease auction for renewable-energy projects in federal waters offshore, according to Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell.

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) – The Obama administration, as part of its plan for reducing carbon-based pollution and creating clean-energy jobs, has completed the United States’ sixth lease auction for renewable-energy projects in federal waters offshore, Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell said in a release.

“This auction underscores the growing market demand for renewable energy among our coastal communities,” Friday’s release quoted Jewell as saying. “It not only marks another milestone for the US offshore wind energy program, but also demonstrates how our collaborative efforts with state, local and private sector partners can advance a clean energy future in the United States.”

The auction involved the leasing of 79,350 acres in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York’s Long Island for potential wind-energy development.

The Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission will conduct a review first before the lease is executed to ensure the competitive-bidding process was fair, the release said. The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will conduct and supervise the auction.