HOUSTON, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Department of the Interior said on Wednesday it has proposed the first-ever offshore wind sale in the Gulf of Mexico in a bid to grow the country's clean energy economy.
The proposed sale includes a 102,480-acre (414.7 sq km) area offshore Lake Charles, Louisiana, and two areas offshore Galveston, Texas, one comprising 102,480 acres(414.72 sq km) and the other 96,786 acres (391.7 sq km), the department said in a press release. It added that these areas could power almost 1.3 million homes with clean energy.
The move is part of the leasing path announced by Secretary Deb Haaland in 2021 to meet the Biden administration's goal to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, it noted.
"There is no time to waste in making bold investments to address the climate crisis, and building a strong domestic offshore wind industry is key to meeting that challenge," said Haaland.
Erik Milito, president of the National Ocean Industries Association, said that offshore wind "will be additive to the incredible benefits the offshore oil and gas sector provides our nation."
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Director Elizabeth Klein said the public would have 60 days to comment on whether one or both Galveston areas should be offered in the final sale notice, which must be published at least 30 days before the sale.
According to the bureau, the Gulf is the primary offshore source of oil and gas, generating about 97 percent of all oil and gas production on the country's Outer Continental Shelf.
The Biden administration has held three offshore wind lease auctions since 2021, including sales in New York and the Pacific Coast in California. ■