US Shrinks Size Of Possible Wind Power Lease Off Massachusetts Coast

WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)–The U.S. Interior Department said Monday it is reducing the size of an area in waters off the Massachusetts coast that it is considering opening to wind power development.

The department said it was responding to comments from the state’s governor’s office, congressional delegation, and commercial fishing community asking for the size of the possible lease to be reduced.

The Obama administration is moving toward leasing an area south of Massachusetts to offshore wind developers, but it has not yet decided the boundaries of the lease. In a press release issued Monday, the department did not say how much of the potential leasing area had been taken off the table.

Ten companies have formally shown interest in developing offshore wind farms in the area, Interior said.

-By Ryan Tracy, Dow Jones Newswires