???Notice Regarding Wind Energy on
State Owned Lands
Under the authority of the Louisiana State Mineral and Energy Board’s (“Board”) Resolution No. 23-07-005, adopted on July 12, 2023, the Louisiana Department of Natural Resources, Office of Mineral Resources (“OMR”) does hereby give notice to all interested parties that the State, by and through the Board, has received inquiries for the purpose of entering into operating agreements pursuant to La. R.S. 30:209 for the rights to develop wind energy for the production of electricity on portions of certain state owned offshore water bottoms and inland bays, situated in Cameron, Vermilion, Iberia, St. Mary, Lafourche, and Terrebonne Parishes, Louisiana.
The purpose of this Notice is to ensure public awareness of these negotiations and to inform any other interested parties seeking such development rights that it must submit an offer package as detailed below. The State desires to obtain this information prior to entering into any particular operating agreement in these areas. Therefore, the OMR is requesting any prospective interested party who wishes to participate in negotiations for the purpose of obtaining the rights for the development of wind power for the generation of electricity in these areas, or any other area, to submit an offer packet containing the following information to OMR:
1. All of the items described in the Louisiana Administrative Code within Title 43, Part V, Chapter 7, Subpart 709 “Pre-Nomination Research”.
2. All of the items described in the Louisiana Administrative Code within Title 43, Part V, Chapter 7, Subpart 711 “Nomination of State Lands and Water Bottoms for Wind Lease”.
3. All of the items described in the Louisiana Administrative Code within Title 43, Part V, Chapter 7, Subpart 717 “Submission of Bids on State Tract Offered for Wind Lease”.
4. General commercial terms covering the following items at minimum.
a. Initial consideration – this will be a payment that is due upon execution of the contract as consideration for granting the agreement. This should be calculated on a price per acre basis.
b. Annual rental – this payment will be due on the anniversary date of the agreement until operations begin. This should also be calculated on a price per acre basis.
c. Percentage of revenue – once operations begin and power is being sold a percentage of revenue will be owed to the state. This payment will be made in arrears on an annual, quarterly, or monthly basis.
d. MGAP – the minimum guaranteed annual payment will be determined by calculating a dollar amount multiplied by installed power generating capacity per megawatt.
As with all leases or operating agreements entered into by OMR and the Board, any operating agreement entered into by OMR and the Board for purposes of wind energy development will not include any regulatory approvals an Operator must acquire through a regulatory permitting process. After acquiring the property or contractual rights granted by an operating agreement for wind energy development, the Operator must separately apply for and be granted any necessary environmental or other permits required by other governmental agencies before any development may occur.
Should an interested party have questions on what is to be included in their offer packet please contact Greg Roberts of the Office of Mineral Resources at greg.roberts@la.gov or 225-342-1080. OMR will only consider and review those submittal packages received within sixty (60) days of this public notice. All offers received after said date may not be considered by OMR and the Board. The offer package should be sent by U.S. Postal Service to: Office of Mineral and Resources, Wind Lease Project, Attn: Bryon Miller, P.O. Box 2827, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70821-2827 or overnight courier service to the Office of Mineral and Resources, Wind Lease Project, Attn: Byron Miller, 617 N. Third Street, 8th Floor LaSalle Building, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802.
RUN: Aug. 3 (Au 3)