Watchdog Says Interior Dept. Must Improve Outreach on Offshore Wind 

WASHINGTON — Federal regulators have regularly failed to engage in “meaningful” consultation with tribes, fisheries and other stakeholders as they consider whether to give the go-ahead to proposed offshore wind projects, a new report from the Government Accountability Office says.

The agency’s review was requested by Reps. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., Bruce Westerman, R-Ark., Chris Smith, R-N.J., and Andy Harris, R-M.D., in May 2023, long before President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 20 that put a hold on new leasing, permits or approvals of offshore wind projects, pending a review of federal leasing and permitting practices.

As of January 2025, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement had granted 39 offshore wind leases to commercial developers.

At present, a number of these are either producing power or are under construction in the Atlantic Ocean; meanwhile, additional development is planned in the Gulf and off the Pacific coast.

But these are nevertheless dangerous times for the offshore wind industry, with Trump repeatedly vowing during his 2024 campaign to put an end to offshore wind development.

More recently, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox Business that the “only thing that’s off the table” in terms of the president’s vision for American energy dominance, “is offshore wind.”

According to Burgum, the president is particularly concerned about the high costs associated with offshore wind, and its potential environmental impacts.

However, the Government Accountability Office said the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in particular had failed to consistently demonstrate that it has considered or addressed tribal input on these matters.

BOEM officials acknowledged there’s room for improvement in this area, and in December released a strategy to improve tribal engagement.

The problem, the GAO said, is that the agency plan for implementing the strategy “remains unclear.”

At the same time, the GAO said that nearly all tribal officials it interviewed said they do not have sufficient capacity to adequately review documents or meaningfully consult with government officials and developers.

Agency officials, meanwhile, stated that consultation has been hindered by limitations in BOEM’s statutory authority to provide support for tribal capacity building. 

“Without a change to BOEM’s authority, tribal input and indigenous knowledge may not be sufficiently incorporated into decisions,” the GAO said.

Similarly, the fishing industry says BOEM hasn’t fully considered its concerns during permitting, according to the report. 

“While BOEM has met with fishing industry representatives during the process, fishery stakeholders said they viewed BOEM’s responses to input as unclear or insufficient,” the evaluation said. 

“Moreover, it is not clear how BOEM ensures that these stakeholders are consistently included in the process and informed of BOEM’s efforts to incorporate input from the industry when establishing lease areas,” it continued.

“As a result, development of offshore wind energy could proceed without BOEM showing how it fully considers impacts to fisheries and how it will ensure developers address impacts to the fishing industry,” the GAO said.

Finally, the GOA said, neither BOEM nor BSEE have taken steps to ensure that they have the resources in place for effective oversight of offshore wind development. 

“Specifically, neither agency has a physical presence in the North Atlantic region where offshore wind construction is underway,” the GAO said. 

“BOEM and BSEE officials stated that they are building capacity to oversee development. However, neither agency has taken the necessary steps to establish a physical office for that region, as they have done in the Pacific and the area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico,” the oversight agency said. 

“Doing so will help ensure that BOEM and BSEE have the resources in place to oversee development in the region and effectively address potential impacts, engage with stakeholders, and oversee implementation of lease requirements,” it said.

In light of its findings, the GAO is recommending that Congress consider new legislation to address BOEM’s limitations to providing adequate support for tribal capacity building.

It is also recommending that both BOEM and BSEE address gas in the oversight to the offshore wind energy sector related to tribal consultation and the incorporation of indigenous knowledge; consideration of input from the fishing industry; guidance for communication and engagement plans; and resources for oversight in the North Atlantic region. 

The GAO noted the Department of the Interior has agreed with all of these recommendations.

Among the outside parties applauding the recommendations is the National Wildlife Federation.

More broadly, said the federation’s Amber Hewett, senior director of its offshore wind energy program, “this report indicates what we already know: offshore wind energy, when developed responsibly, with meaningful engagement from tribal and coastal communities, is one of the most effective tools we have to reduce pollution, increase energy independence, and keep our air and water clean. 

“While offshore wind presents potential risks, those risks can be significantly reduced through responsible siting, robust mitigation measures and ongoing environmental monitoring — ensuring that we can meet our clean energy goals while protecting wildlife every step of the way,” she said.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue