To provide for offshore wind energy development, and for other purposes.
Analysis under review: This bill has generated analysis that may be too generic or incomplete. Clause-level evidence remains available below.
Summary
What This Bill Does
The COLLABORATE Act creates a federal framework to expand offshore wind energy development. It establishes transmission task forces to coordinate siting and permitting, streamlines the approval process for offshore wind projects, and creates mechanisms for planning transmission routes across federal waters.
Who Benefits and How
Offshore wind energy developers benefit from streamlined permitting with 150-day deadlines for federal authorizations, access to bidding credits for community investments, and a coordinated federal review process. Transmission companies gain clearer pathways for siting offshore cables. Coastal states receive planning support for integrating offshore wind into their grids. Indian Tribes receive 2% set-asides from grant programs.
Who Bears the Burden and How
Offshore wind lease holders must contribute to the Fisheries Compensation Fund to pay for losses to fishing communities. The fishing industry faces economic disruption from wind development but receives compensation mechanisms and research grants. Federal agencies face new coordination and rulemaking requirements within tight timelines (90-180 days).
Key Provisions
- Creates National Offshore Wind Transmission Task Force to coordinate federal and state permitting
- Requires 5-year offshore wind leasing schedules and streamlines construction plan approvals
- Establishes Fisheries Compensation Fund and Coexistence Fund ($30M/year) to support affected fishing communities
- Mandates preferred cable routes and transmission reliability standards for offshore wind
Evidence Chain:
This summary is generated from the full bill text using AI analysis. Expand "Detailed Analysis" below for identified beneficiaries/burden bearers.
At a Glance
What This Bill Does
Establishes a comprehensive framework for offshore wind energy development including transmission planning, permitting streamlining, fisheries compensation, and coordination between federal and state agencies.
Key Policy Areas
Energy, Environment, Maritime, Fisheries, Federal Lands, Transmission Infrastructure
Primary Purpose
Establishes a comprehensive framework for offshore wind energy development including transmission planning, permitting streamlining, fisheries compensation, and coordination between federal and state agencies.
Policy Domains
Title I - Offshore Wind Energy Development
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Offshore wind energy developers
- Electric transmission companies
- Coastal states
- Indian Tribes
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Federal permitting agencies
- Commercial fishing industry
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Title II - Fisheries Protection
Identified Gains
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Commercial fishing industry
- Fishing communities
- Marine research organizations
- Indian Tribes
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Identified Costs
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation- Offshore wind lease holders
- Project sponsors
Contextual inference, no direct clause citation
Legislative Progress
IntroducedMr. Whitehouse introduced the following bill; which was read twice …
Stakeholder Effects
cui bono?How this legislation distributes effects. Mention counts reflect frequency, not effect magnitude.
Offshore wind energy developers, Offshore wind lease holders, Offshore wind project sponsors
Offshore wind energy developers faces effects in multiple directions
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Department of Energy, Department of the Interior
Electric Reliability Organization, Electric transmission companies, Offshore wind transmission operators
Regional Transmission Organizations faces effects in multiple directions
Positive-direction: Electric transmission companies
Negative-direction: Electric Reliability Organization, Offshore wind transmission operators, Public utility transmission providers
Coastal communities, Coastal state governments, State public utility commissions
Positive-direction: Coastal communities
Negative-direction: Coastal state governments, State public utility commissions
Fishing gear manufacturers, High-voltage electrical equipment manufacturers, Marine safety equipment manufacturers
Bill Structure & Actor Mappings
Who is "The Secretary" in each section?
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of the Interior
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of NOAA
- "the_secretary"
- → Secretary of Commerce
- "the_administrator"
- → Administrator of NOAA
Note: 'The Secretary' refers to Secretary of the Interior in Title I but Secretary of Commerce in Title II (fisheries sections)
Key Definitions
Terms defined in this bill
The Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
A transmission line that connects multiple offshore transmission substations
An offshore wind lessee or representative that submits a construction and operations plan for an offshore wind project
An area on the outer Continental Shelf identified by the Secretary as potentially suitable for offshore wind energy development
A networked configuration of power conditioning equipment allowing more than one path to transmit offshore wind energy to the onshore grid
A Wind Energy Area designated by the Secretary under section 8(p) of the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act
We use a combination of our own taxonomy and classification in addition to large language models to assess meaning and potential beneficiaries. High confidence means strong textual evidence. Always verify with the original bill text.
Learn more about our methodology