Buried deep in the federal 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are a few paragraphs that turn renewable energy into a fossil fuel bonanza. Section 50265 of the IRA requires that before any offshore wind (OSW) leases are issued, 60 million acres of offshore oil and gas lease sales MUST first be offered. This requirement stands for the next 10 years for a minimum total of 600 million acres with no maximum cap amount. Yes, you read that correctly, offshore oil and gas leases must be offered before wind leases. Since OSW leases are roughly 100,000 acres each, this is at least a 600 to 1 oil to wind ratio.
Thus, OSW will be what the oil industry has long wanted—open access to the ocean—perhaps that is why oil companies own the OSW projects. Renewable energy will now do to the ocean what COA and others have fought for decades to stop.
Land areas are also not safe. Land-based wind and solar can only be offered after oil and gas leases are offered. Specifically, wind and solar can be offered right-of-way only if, in the previous 120 days, onshore oil and gas lease sales totaling at least 2 million acres or 50 percent of the acreage for which expressions of interest were submitted for that period (whichever is less) were held.
The hypocrisy of this wolf in sheep’s clothing cannot be overstated. Learn more about the concerns surrounding OSW and actions you can take at CleanOceanAction.org.
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