Feds pick New England’s offshore wind development area, drawing cheers and questions alike

By PATRICK WHITTLE
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The federal government on Friday designated an area of ocean off New England for the development of offshore wind in a move that generated cheers from environmental groups but questions from fishermen. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management says the wind energy area is about two million acres off Maine, Massachusetts and New Hampshire that range from 23 to 92 miles off the coast. The agency said the development of the area could potentially surpass state goals of offshore wind energy in the Gulf of Maine. The announcement came just days after the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the country opened off Montauk Point, New York.