The federal government has cleared the way for wind farms off North Carolina's coast.

Regulations published Wednesday afternoon in the Federal Register and touted by President Obama at an Earth Day speech lay out the rules for leasin, siting, permitting and building wind turbines and other forms of renewable energy.

Dozens of applications for proposed offshore wind projects are expected in the north and central Atlantic in the coming months, said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

A report from his department says the Outer Banks have some of the strongest and steadiest winds on the East Coast.

"We realize there's a tremendous opportunity offshore," said Bob Leker, a program manager with the State Energy Office in Raleigh. "I think it's a good idea. It's a resource the country as a whole has a lot of." (N&O)

Wind power is not blowing hard in North Carolina.

Though nine offshore wind projects are proposed along the coasts of Atlantic states, none are currently planned here, despite a law passed a year ago requiring utilities to meet 12.5 percent of energy demand by 2021 with clean energy.

Bob Leker, renewables program manager for the State Energy Office, says North Carolina has a significant untapped source of wind power.

"The U.S. Department of Energy is very interested in North Carolina," he said in remarks Wednesday to the N.C. Coastal Resources Advisory Council. "We have a significant resource by virtue of the miles of coastline and relatively shallow sound."

One small, land-based commercial wind project is proposed in Carteret County. Raleigh entrepeneurs Nelson and Dianna Paul have proposed three wind turbines that would generate 4.5 megawatts of eletricity, enough to power about 900 homes. (N&O)