The State of Oregon has published a public review draft of its Offshore Wind Energy Roadmap, prepared by the Department of Land Conservation and Development following the passage of House Bill 4080. The document does not recommend whether offshore wind should be developed. Instead, it outlines how potential projects could proceed while addressing the interests of coastal communities, federally recognised tribes in Oregon, fisheries and marine ecosystems, alongside the state’s clean energy and climate objectives.
The legislation directed the department to define standards to be considered in processes related to offshore wind energy development and approval. Developed between November 2024 and June 2026 through stakeholder engagement, the Roadmap sets out conditions, processes and standards that could apply if offshore wind energy were pursued off Oregon’s coast.
The Roadmap identifies four potential pathways:
- No offshore wind energy: Oregon does not participate in offshore wind activities and reserves ocean and coastal areas for other uses.
- Economic participation only: The state supports supply chain, port services, research and related activities but does not host offshore wind turbines.
- Pilot project: Development of a pilot-scale offshore wind project.
- 1 GW to more than 3 GW: Establishment of a commercial-scale offshore wind sector, with or without major port development.
Each pathway includes decision points covering leasing, permitting, construction, operation and decommissioning. At defined checkpoints, the state could proceed, pause or halt development. The Roadmap emphasises that all pathways should be considered in the context of environmental, cultural and economic impacts.
The Roadmap sets out a series of recommendations for policymakers. These include initiating state or local rulemaking to address identified policy gaps and developing a funded offshore wind research agenda to improve understanding of potential impacts on ecosystems and coastal communities.
It also recommends establishing an offshore wind science collaborative involving a broad range of interests and participation in the West Coast Science Collaborative led by California. A state-led marine and coastal spatial planning process is proposed to identify areas that may be suitable for offshore wind development and assess compatibility with state policies.
Additional recommendations include strengthening regional energy markets, improving grid infrastructure, increasing capacity within state agencies, local governments and tribal governments, and embedding tribal consultation and data sovereignty in research processes from the outset.
The Roadmap also proposes formal mechanisms for community, local government and tribal participation in offshore wind processes, including community agreements where appropriate.
The document recognises increased uncertainty in federal policy and the offshore wind sector since the adoption of House Bill 4080. It nevertheless concludes that Oregon should build knowledge, institutional capacity and policy clarity to remain prepared for a range of possible futures, including participation in offshore wind supply chains without hosting turbines.
An Enforceable Policy Assessment and Government Capacity Assessment identify gaps in existing frameworks and resources. Many of these gaps could be addressed through amendments to Oregon’s Territorial Sea Plan, which implements Statewide Land Use Planning Goal 19 on marine renewable energy facilities.
Overall, the Roadmap is intended to guide informed and transparent decision-making, whether Oregon ultimately chooses to pursue offshore wind development, limit involvement to economic activities, or opt out entirely.
