The State of Oregon maintains an interest and is an active participant in the activities that occur on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) beyond the State's Territorial Sea boundaries. This section of our site describes aspects of the State's interest and applicable authorities related to OCS management. It also provides information regarding ongoing continental shelf activities at the State and Federal level.  The most recent area of work related to OCS waters is a focus on offshore wind energy planning, through the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, the federal agency with authority to lease lands on the OCS. 

Offshore Wind Energy Planning

House Bill 4080, passed in the 2024 legislative session, has tasked the Department of Land Conservation and Development with the development of an Roadmap for the state.  Visit the OSW Roadmap pages to learn more.  

What is a GLD and why did Oregon want one?

A GLD (or Geographic Loaction Description) is an area within federal waters where listed federal license or permit activities have reasonably foreseeable effects on a states coastal uses or resources. Meaning that federal permitting or leasing may potentially impact waters in the states jurisdiction (the territorial sea). The process for creating a GLD is outlined by the federal Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). Oregon’s GLD is designed to ensure that marine renewable energy projects within the GLD are automatically subject to the federal consistency review process, ensuring that those actions are consistent with the enforceable policies of Oregon’s coastal management program.

How does the GLD work?

A GLD is based on a demonstration that there would be reasonably foreseeable coastal effects from the listed federal license or permit activity in the proposed area. Oregon’s GLD applies specifically to federal activities related to marine renewable energy development; which includes leasing and permitting authorized by the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). The activities, such as authorizing a permit or lease, are automatically subject to federal consistency within the GLD. To learn more about BOEM visit the BOEM Oregon Task Force page.

In 2015, DLCD completed an analysis of reasonably foreseeable effects of Federal actions related to marine renewable energy projects on resources and uses occurring within the GLD. You can download the report associated with this analysis here.