A week after awarding two wind leases off the Delmarva region worth nearly $93 million, federal authorities announced the launch of a second possible round of auctions for waters between New Jersey and North Carolina.

Central Atlantic Call Area 2 covers 13.47 million acres, a sprawling area for potential wind energy sites “to provide flexibility and minimize conflicts with other uses such as commercial fishing, military activities and shipping,” the BOEM statement said.

“BOEM will work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science to identify potential conflicts and make decisions about the most appropriate locations for wind turbines.”

“Today’s announcement kicks off a second potential auction in the Central Atlantic and provides an important opportunity to gather information as we identify potential areas that may be suitable for future offshore wind leases,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.

The announcement is based on planning that led to the Biden administration’s fifth offshore wind lease sale on August 14. At that auction, the leases were provisionally sold. Rent OCS-A 0557 to Equinor Wind US LLC for $75,001,001, consisting of 101,443 acres approximately 26 nautical miles from the Delaware Bay.

Virginia Electric and Power The company won lease OCS-A 0558, paying $17,650,500 for 176,505 acres, approximately 35 nautical miles from the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay.

To position itself for a future auction bid, BOEM will publish the “Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) – Central Atlantic 2 – Call for Information and Nominations” in the Federal Register on August 22nd, beginning a 60-day public comment period until October 21st.

The agency will hold online and in-person public meetings in September and October. Information and registration are available at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic-2-public-meetings.