The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the Proposed Sale Notices to offer 277,550 acres in two Wind Energy Areas – offshore of Virginia and offshore of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The areas proposed for leasing have a capacity to generate over 4,000MW of wind energy per annum.
Commenting on the developments US Department of the Interior secretary Ken Salazar highlighted the wind energy potential of the country’s Atlantic coast that can increase energy security and competitiveness.
"As we experience record domestic oil and gas development, we are moving forward at the same time with efforts to ensure that America continues to lead the world at developing the energy of the future," added Salazar.
The decision of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is a first for the country with lease sales valid until the end of 2013.
Earlier the government had sold leases for the Western Gulf of Mexico area 229 on 28 November 2012 taking further the government’s success on two other Gulf of Mexico lease sales – a 21 million acre sale held in December 2011 and a 39 million acre sale held in June 2012.