Ocean Energy Task Force

The Ocean Energy Task Force (Task Force) has completed its work. In December 2009, the Task Force submitted its final report and recommendations to Governor Baldacci.

Duties

By Executive Order 20 FY 08/09, dated November 7, 2008, Governor Baldacci established the Ocean Energy Task Force. The primary mission of the Task Force was to recommend strategies to:

Meet or exceed the goals established in the Maine Wind Energy Act, Title 35-A, section 3404(2)(B), to install at least 2,000 megawatts of wind capacity by 2015 and at least 3,000 megawatts by 2020, 300 of which could be located in coastal waters. The Task Force shall identify potential economic, technical, regulatory, and other obstacles to development of grid-scale offshore wind resources in Maine and federal coastal waters, and recommend solutions to overcome those obstacles;
Promote research and testing to facilitate siting of offshore wind energy facilities;
Foster in-state growth of diverse wind and other alternative energy related businesses;
Encourage ocean-based tidal and wave energy development where appropriate;
Update information regarding offshore oil and natural gas resources and evaluate federal initiatives regarding oil and natural gas exploration and development in the Outer Continental Shelf; and
Overcome any state laws or policies that might serve as obstacles to vigorous and expeditious environmentally responsible development of grid-scale wind and tidal energy generation facilities in Maine’s coastal waters and adjoining federal waters in a manner that generates significant benefits for Maine people.

Legislation

The Task Force's recommendations formed the basis for two significant pieces of legislation designed to lay the foundation for Maine's renewable ocean energy industry.

Public Law 2009, chapter 270 contains several provisions to facilitate research and development and testing of renewable ocean energy technologies. The law streamlines state permitting of offshore wind energy demonstration projects by creating a general permit administered by the Department of Environmental Protection for qualified offshore wind energy demonstration projects located in specific identified offshore areas. As directed by law, the Department of Conservation, in cooperation with the State Planning Office, designated three offshore wind energy test areas based on consideration of potential effects on natural resources and existing uses, community support and other factors, and following public outreach and consideration of public comments.

One of these areas (off Monhegan Island) is the Maine Offshore Wind Energy Research Center, established to facilitate offshore wind energy-related research and development conducted by or in cooperation with the University of Maine.

The law also streamlines state permitting of tidal energy. It creates a general permit administered by the Department of Environmental Protection for tidal power demonstration projects eligible for a pilot project license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. It also clarifies that the Department of Environmental Protection has jurisdiction over tidal power projects statewide under Maine's consolidated hydropower permitting law.

Public Law 2009, chapter 615 stems from recommendations in the Task Force's final report. Key provisions in the law:

• Set ambitious state goals for installation of offshore wind energy capacity - 5,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2030;

• Streamline and further clarify state permitting and leasing laws by:

Clarifying that DEP has permitting authority over offshore wind power projects statewide, with the exception of smaller-scale (less than 3 MW), "community-based offshore wind energy projects" located within 1 mile of an island in LURC territory;
Granting DEP statewide authority over wave power development under the State's consolidated hydropower permitting law;
Coordinating and avoiding duplicative review of issues in DEP or LURC permitting and BPL leasing decisions;
Clarifying that the Site Law applies to an offshore wind power project with greater than 3 MW capacity;
Clarifying that a municipality may regulate but may not wholly prohibit renewable ocean energy development proposed within its geographic boundaries as established on the law's effective date;
Authorizing the Maine Public Utilities Commission to exempt a renewable ocean energy project from a local ordinance if reasonably necessary for public welfare and convenience; and
Applying the streamlined administrative review process applicable to land-based "grid-scale wind energy development" to offshore wind and tidal test projects that qualify for a DEP-administered adaptive management-oriented general permit;

• Direct the Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) to enact a rule by April 9, 2011, that establishes a fee schedule for submerged lands leases for renewable ocean energy projects, and gives BPL policy direction for developing the rule that aims at balancing state renewable ocean energy-related objectives with those regarding traditional public trust uses; and

• Direct the Maine Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to issue a request for proposals for price-capped, long-term contracts for up to 25 MW of deep-water offshore wind power and 5 MW of tidal power. As the law directed, PUC issued this proposal on September 1, 2010.

Reports

Final Report of the Ocean Energy Task Force (PDF 837K)

Appendices to the Final Report of the Ocean Energy Task Force (PDF 4.2M)

Interim Report to Governor Baldacci

AGENCY INFORMATION

Special Projects

Ocean Energy Task Force

Duties

Legislation

Reports

Related Documents

Related Links