Referred to the House Committee on Natural Resources.
The bill permanently prohibits any federal lease, license, permit, or authorization for commercial offshore wind energy development in Lobster Management Area 1 in the Gulf of Maine. It directs the Comptroller General to complete a study within 120 days assessing the sufficiency of environmental review processes for Gulf of Maine offshore wind projects, listing specific ecological, economic, cultural, and stakeholder-consultation topics to evaluate.
Progressives emphasize climate and renewable deployment impacts
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive prohibition (with an appended study mandate) that is clear in purpose and in the primary operative command but incomplete on implementation and edge-case handling.
The bill permanently prohibits any federal lease, license, permit, or authorization for commercial offshore wind energy development in Lobster Management Area 1 in the Gulf of Maine.
It directs the Comptroller General to complete a study within 120 days assessing the sufficiency of environmental review processes for Gulf of Maine offshore wind projects, listing specific ecological, economic, cultural, and stakeholder-consultation topics to evaluate.
The bill defines Lobster Management Area 1 by reference to 50 C.F.R. §697.18.
Narrow, regionally appealing ban improves House prospects; however, substantive controversy over offshore wind and Senate/filibuster dynamics lower overall chances.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive prohibition (with an appended study mandate) that is clear in purpose and in the primary operative command but incomplete on implementation and edge-case handling.
Progressives emphasize climate and renewable deployment impacts
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Progressives emphasize climate and renewable deployment impacts
Likely to oppose the bill because it blocks renewable energy expansion in a geographic area, which conflicts with climate mitigation goals.
May sympathize with protecting fishing communities but will be concerned about precedent that exempts areas from offshore wind development.
Balances protecting a long-standing regional fishery with the national need for renewables.
Views the GAO study positively but worries a permanent ban may be premature without addressing energy and legal tradeoffs.
Likely to support the bill for protecting local fishing industry and preventing federal offshore wind leasing in a sensitive economic area.
Views the GAO study as useful oversight of federal agencies.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Narrow, regionally appealing ban improves House prospects; however, substantive controversy over offshore wind and Senate/filibuster dynamics lower overall chances.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Progressives emphasize climate and renewable deployment impacts
Narrow, regionally appealing ban improves House prospects; however, substantive controversy over offshore wind and Senate/filibuster dynami…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill is a narrowly scoped substantive prohibition (with an appended study mandate) that is clear in purpose and in the primary operative command but incomplete on implemen…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.