US HB674

Permanently prohibits the issuance of any lease, license, permit, or authorization for commercial offshore wind energy development in Lobster Management Area 1 in the Gulf of Maine

Requires the Comptroller General to conduct a study within 120 days assessing the sufficiency of environmental review processes used by NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, and other federal agencies for Gulf of Maine offshore wind projects

Study must evaluate offshore wind impacts on marine mammals (including whales), finfish, benthic resources, commercial and recreational fishing industries, essential fish habitat, air quality, cultural/Tribal resources, and fisheries-dependent communities

Notes that in 2023, New England commercial fisheries landed approximately 416 million pounds of catch valued at $1.35 billion, with the U.S. lobster fishery (93% from Maine and Massachusetts) totaling 113 million pounds valued at $582 million