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Title page 1

Contents 4

Highlights 2

Letter 7

Background 11

Offshore Wind Energy Development Has Both Positive and Negative Potential Impacts, and Research to Understand and Address Some Effects Is Ongoing 16

Deployment of Offshore Wind Could Have Positive Climate and Public Health Benefits 17

Offshore Wind Development Could Have a Variety of Impacts on Marine Life and Ecosystems, but Research Is Ongoing 18

Offshore Wind Development Could Have Negative Impacts on the Fishing Industry and Fisheries Management 28

Offshore Wind Development May Have Various Economic Development and Community Impacts 30

Offshore Wind Development Could Negatively Affect Tribal Resources, Including Sacred Sites and Established Fishing Grounds 32

Offshore Wind May Have Impacts on Defense and Radar Systems 33

Offshore Wind Turbines Could Have a Variety of Impacts on Maritime Navigation and Safety 34

BOEM's Oversight of Offshore Wind Development Includes Coordination with Agencies, Tribes, and Stakeholders to Address Impacts, but Opportunities for Improvement Exist 35

BOEM's Permitting Process Includes Coordination with Multiple Agencies and Stakeholders to Identify and Mitigate Potential Impacts 35

BOEM Has Taken Steps to Address Gaps in Its Tribal Engagement, but Concerns Remain About Meaningful Consultation and Capacity Building 41

BOEM Has Addressed Some Gaps in Its Process for Addressing Potential Impacts to Fisheries, but Stakeholder Concerns Remain 47

BOEM and BSEE Have Not Established Guidance for Lessees' Communication and Engagement Plans with Stakeholders or a Plan for Enforcement 49

BOEM and BSEE Have Not Taken Steps to Ensure They Have the Resources in Place for Effective Oversight and Engagement with Stakeholders 50

BOEM's Oversight Does Not Include Clear Requirements for Environmental Monitoring and Data Sharing That Could Inform Understanding of Regional Impacts 52

Conclusions 53

Matter for Congressional Consideration 54

Recommendations for Executive Action 54

Agency Comments 54

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology 58

Appendix II: List of Experts Participating in GAO's 2024 Expert Interviews 63

Appendix III: Comments from the Department of the Interior 64

Appendix IV: GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 67

Tables 4

Table 1. Operational and Planned Offshore Wind Projects for Leases Awarded by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), as of January 2025 9

Table 2. Examples of Potential Impacts of Offshore Wind Development to Marine Life and Ecosystems 19

Table 3. Examples of Planned or Implemented Strategies to Mitigate Offshore Wind Impacts 39

Table 4. Selected Federal Guidance and Directives for Tribal Consultation 43

Table 5. Experts Participating in GAO's (Virtual) 2024 Expert Interviews 63

Figures 5

Figure 1. Selected Offshore Wind Energy Structures and Turbine Types 12

Figure 2. Potential Areas of Offshore Wind Impacts 17

Figure 3. Offshore Wind Energy and Whales 27

Figure 4. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Offshore Wind Energy Permitting Process-Planning and Analysis Phase 35

Figure 5. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Offshore Wind Energy Permitting Process-Site Assessment Phase 37

Figure 6. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) Offshore Wind Energy Leasing Process-Construction... 38