{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/wyden-merkley-bonamici-hoyle-announce-boem-hold-public-meetings-comments", "Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici, Hoyle Announce BOEM to hold Public Meetings for Comments on Offshore Wind Energy", "2023-09-06", "2023", "2023-09", "Democrat", "House", "OR", "Suzanne Bonamici", "B001278", "bonamici.house.gov", "bonamici", "https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "Washington, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley along with U.S. Reps. Suzanne Bonamici and Val Hoyle today announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will host public meetings on two draft proposals for wind energy off the Oregon coast and opened a 60-day public review and comment period.\n\n\u201cRenewable energy is an essential piece of the strategy to combat the climate crisis. However, local communities and fishermen have to be at the center for decisions about offshore wind projects that affect their livelihoods,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cI have repeatedly urged the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to do a better job of including all Oregonians\u2019 voices while considering the potential for siting wind energy options off the Oregon Coast, and I\u2019m gratified to see it\u2019s making good on that promise. I encourage Oregonians to voice their concerns so a workable solution can be reached.\u201d\n\n\u201cOffshore wind holds significant potential to boost much needed renewable energy, but it must be deployed in partnership with our existing fishing industries,\u201d Merkley said. \u201cThese consultations provide an opportunity for BOEM and existing stakeholders to share their vision and concerns and to work out a plan that will make wind deployments highly compatible with existing maritime industries.\u201d\n\n\u201cOffshore wind has great potential to help address the climate crisis with clean energy while creating thousands of good construction and technician jobs,\u201d Bonamici said. \u201cWe have an opportunity to get this right, but all perspectives must be considered as we transition. I\u2019m grateful that BOEM will be holding public meetings on the proposed floating offshore wind energy areas, and I encourage everyone who cares about this issue to make your voices heard.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe must transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy, but we need to do it right,\u201d Hoyle said. \u201cI believe local communities need to be at the table when plans are made. I'm glad the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is hosting public meetings to ensure they are hearing directly from Oregon\u2019s coastal communities.\"\n\nToday\u2019s announcement follows Wyden, Merkley, Bonamici and Hoyle pushing BOEM to extend the public comment period and to hold open public meetings on the draft wind energy areas.\n\nThe draft wind energy areas cover about 219,568 acres offshore southern Oregon with their closest points ranging from about 18 \u2013 32 miles off the coast. A map can be found on BOEM's website.\n\nA 60-day public comment period is underway, and BOEM has scheduled several public meetings to outline information used to inform the draft areas and to present next steps in BOEM\u2019s offshore wind leasing area identification process.\n\nVirtual Oregon Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force Meeting\n\nMonday, Sept. 18, 2023; 9:00 a.m. \u2013 2:00p.m.\n\nRegistration link is posted on BOEM\u2019s website.\n\nInformational Fishing Webinar (fishing data focus):\n\nThursday, Sept. 21, 2023: 5:00 pm \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nRegistration link to be posted on BOEM\u2019s website soon.\n\nIn-person public meetings:\n\nGold Beach, Oregon\n\nTuesday, Sept. 26, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nEvent Center at the Beach Docia Room\n\n29392 Ellensburg Avenue\n\nCoos Bay, Oregon\n\nWednesday, Sept. 27, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nCoos Bay Public Library, Myrtlewood Room\n\n525 Anderson Avenue\n\nBrookings, Oregon\n\nThursday, Sept. 28, 2023; 4:00p.m. \u2013 8:00 p.m.\n\nSouthwest Oregon Community College - Curry Campus, Commons Room\n\n96082 Lone Ranch Pkwy\n\nAdditional information, including registration and details on how to submit written comments on the draft WEAs can be found at www.boem.gov/Oregon.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T00:37:48Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://bonamici.house.gov/media/press-releases/wyden-merkley-bonamici-hoyle-announce-boem-hold-public-meetings-comments"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.9204256348311901, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}