The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) took the first step toward hosting an offshore leasing round in California. In January 2016, BOEM received an unsolicited request for a commercial lease from Trident Winds LLC. (Trident Winds).
BOEM reviewed the unsolicited lease application and determined in March 2016 that Trident Winds was legally, technically and financially qualified to hold a commercial lease on the Outer Continental Shelf. The next steps in BOEM’s renewable energy leasing process is to determine whether or not other companies are interested in developing the same area (i.e., to determine competitive interest) and to request comments and information from the public on the proposed area.