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Maine Fishermen’s Forum Wind Energy Seminar
Agenda for Thursday March 5 (Updated 1-16-20)

9:30 am – 9:45 am —Introduction and agenda 

9:45 am – 11:15 am: Fisheries and Offshore Wind in the Gulf of Maine

  • Renewable energy goals:
    • What are our overall regional energy needs?
    • Maine’s (and New England’s) renewable energy goals.
    • Gulf of Maine wind resource, vs. land-based wind or other renewables.
    • Overview of current development status (Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
      task force, Maine Offshore Wind Initiative).
  • Fisheries and wind co-existence:
    • Overview of fishery issues.
    • New England Fishery Management Council’s role, perspective, and participation.
  • Floating technologies:
    • Construction.
    • Siting—installation, space occupied, mooring systems, fixed vs. floating turbines.
    • Cabling—likely points of landfall, dredging/routing issues, potential “backbones.”
  • 15-minute Q&A

11:15 am – 11:30 am – Break

11:30 am – 1:00 pm: What is coming and where can the fishing industry engage?

  • What’s happening in Maine related to offshore wind?
    • Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Task Force:
      • Identifying the best ocean sites for wind energy platforms.
      • Coordination among states.
    • Maine’s Aqua Ventus project: status update, future plans.
  • Permitting for Offshore Wind – State and federal:
    • Federal BOEM process:
      • How NMFS is engaged in consultation.
    • State Process:
      • State vs. federal waters:
        • Aqua Ventus/Maine process, and how it differs from federal process.
        • Cable routes from sea to shore – into Maine, or not into Maine.
  • Progression of wind energy development in southern New England and the mid-Atlantic:
    • What is the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance?
    • What is happening in offshore wind to the south.
    • Impacts and concerns of fishermen in those regions.
  • Role of Fisheries Liaisons.
  • 15-minute Q&A

 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm: Lunch

 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm: What can we learn from experiences in other areas?

  •  Several panelists will speak of their experience with wind energy projects and firms. They’ll
    relate the most important lessons, from a fisheries perspective, in how to engage in the
    development process.
  • The last hour of this session will be a moderated Q&A for the audience to ask questions
    of any of the entire day’s seminar’s panelists.