U.S. Offshore Wind Energy Area Would Nearly Double Under New Plan

A large swath of the Atlantic Ocean could soon be used to generate electricity, as a U.S. agency proposes opening more than 1,000 square miles of ocean to wind energy projects. The area is off the coast of Massachusetts, which has been working on the proposal with federal officials. The area under consideration is near the region where parcels for offshore wind farms were auctioned off last year, in what one U.S. official called "a really historic moment in the clean energy future of this country." The U.S. Department of the Interior says the new Massachusetts Wind Energy Area would be auctioned off in four leases. The agency's proposal begins a 60-day public comment period that will end on August 18.  The Department of the Interior's announcement includes instructions for submitting comments, saying they can be sent to the federal regulations website...more