Testing Ocean Energy in Maine

In order to facilitate the development of alternative ocean energy in Maine, the Governor’s Ocean Energy Task Force recommended and drafted L.D. 1465 (.pdf), which was passed unanimously by the Maine State Legislature in June 2009.

The legislation, among other things, tasks the Maine Department of Conservation, in consultation with the Maine State Planning Office, to select up to five locations within Maine state waters to be designated as "Ocean Energy Testing Areas."

These sites will be identified using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) analysis and thorough stakeholder input through a comprehensive public outreach effort, to be concluded in November 2009.

The MDOC will officially designate these areas on Dec. 15, 2009.

The information on this website is meant to inform, educate, and raise awareness of the outreach process, the many different facets of ocean energy and Maine’s potential to be a regional, national, and world leader in alternative energy production.

DRAFT OCEAN ENERGY DEMONSTRATION AREAS

A Planning Area for this project is defined as initial geography that met several basic criteria:

wind speed (17 mph annual average);
depth (primarily 60 meters or more);
within state-controlled waters;
and free of obstructions.

A Draft Demonstration Site is geography identified as meeting the initial criteria and also having been vetted to minimize human use and ecological impacts. This site, or a portion of this site, may be designated on Dec. 15 as an Ocean Energy Demonstration Site.

The comment period on Draft Demonstration Sites closes on
Nov. 30, 2009.

You can provide comments in several ways:

By Phone: call Dan Prichard at 207-287-4919

By Mail:

Wind Energy Site Selection
c /o Dan Prichard
Maine Department of Conservation
22 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333

By Web: See the web comment form below.

Interactive Map

Boon Island map (.pdf)

Cutler map (.pdf)

Damariscove Island (.pdf)

Monhegan Island (.pdf)

Estimated Draft Site Coordinates (.pdf)