Offshore Wind Wire

President Obama will soon implement a nationwide zoning plan for oceans and the Great Lakes, the Los Angeles Times reported yesterday.

“The initiative culminates more than a year of work by a federal Ocean Policy Task Force, which Obama established last year.  After the task force releases its final recommendations, the president is expected to sign an executive order directing federal agencies to adopt and implement them,” the Times reported.  “Nine regional groups — consisting of state, federal and tribal officials — would draft plans for conservation and use of ocean resources that would have to be approved by the National Ocean Council.”

The plans would identify and set aside areas for offshore wind development.

Ocean Energy Institute Opens New Office

The Ocean Energy institute is opening its new office in Rockland, ME, Mass High Tech reported yesterday. 

The nonprofit organization, founded in 2007 by an energy-focused investment banker, promotes offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine.  Director Robert West was reported as saying that the people behind the institute are planning to form a corporation to take part in offshore wind development.

Accoding to Mass High Tech: “After several years of working out of their homes, the staff of the Ocean Energy Institute moved to their first office in Rockland in April. The office has a staff of four, and two other employees work remotely.”

Ted Danson Wants Drilling Ban, Offshore Wind

In a Huffington Post opinion piece, actor Ted Danson called for an offhsore drilling ban and said the lack of US offshore wind turbines “should make every American ashamed and angry.”

“The Obama administration should ensure that promoting wind finally gets priority over permitting more dirty fossil fuels,” Danson wrote.  ”Congress must increase funding for research and development of offshore wind, provide stable tax and investment incentives.”