Are you keeping up with what is happening with wind farms and oil/gas drilling on our coast?

Wind Farms

Last summer, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) designated three areas for commercial wind energy leasing.  One area is in off Kitty Hawk/Duck, the other two are off Brunswick County, roughly south of Holden Beach and off Frying Pan Shoals.  The first step in the process is to  construct 394′ meteorologic towers to assess the wind potential.  The BOEM did a Visual Assessment of what these towers would look like from shore which you can view here.  (This file might take a while to load.)  It shows what the towers would look like from different vantage points at different times of the day and night.

The Environmental Assessment (EA) for the Wind Energy projects was released for public comment January 22, 2015.  Click here to view the EA, which includes information on how to make comments.  The Public Comment period ends February 23, 2015.  There are also three public meetings, the closest to Holden Beach being February 12 from 5-8pm at the South Brunswick Islands Center, 9400 Ocean Highway 17 W., Carolina Shores 28467.

Oil Drilling Off the NC Coast

This highly controversial form of energy exploration is all over the news.  North Carolina Senators Burr and Tillis are firm supporters of drilling off our coast and attached an amendment to the Keystone XL legislation requiring the government to set up procedures for leasing, exploring and developing offshore oil and natural gas resources by 2017.

The Raleigh News and Observer published an article on the issue recently and this editorial.  You can also read a summary of the issues here.  Former VA Governor Martin O’Malley’s opinion piece on drilling along the eastern seaboard was picked up by the New York Times.

The first step in exploring for oil and gas involves the use of seismic airgun testing.  Two companies are prepared to do this and testing could start this spring.   Read more here.

We hope that you will become familiar with the energy issues facing coastal North Carolina and the potential impact on Holden Beach.