Another Step Forward for Bluewater Wind

The News Journal reports that Bluewater Wind has passed an important regulatory milestone on the path to building an offshore wind project off the coast of Delaware. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE) has given Bluewater exclusive rights to develop the site:

Officially, the bureau's decision was a "determination of no competitive interest," which helps Bluewater avoid further delays in its effort to gain a lease and permit to start construction. That's because it won't have to grapple with another developer for the rights to build on the ocean tracts it has chosen.

While this may seem arcane, it is an important step forward, not just for Bluewater, but for the entire industry. Two years ago, the federal government had no process for even considering a request to build offshore wind. There is nothing so difficult for a bureaucracy to manage as novelty. In this instance, the Interior Department had to create a new agency. BOEMRE has expedited the process to weed out bids from firms that can't demonstrate the ability to develop a project.