The Department of the Interior today announced that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will conduct an environmental study of the first planned wind energy project offshore Maryland.
There will be a Notice of Intent published this week by the Department to draft an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for US Wind, LLC’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP) (US Wind). The Biden-Harris administration’s 10th evaluation of offshore wind energy COPs has begun.
President Biden’s “ambitious offshore wind targets” would “reduce prices for families, generate almost 80,000 good-paying jobs, and make substantial progress as we seek to solve the climate issue,” said Interior Secretary Deborah Haaland. This Administration’s all-of-government strategy to solving the climate issue involves early and continuous engagement with neighboring communities, and the Department of the Interior is continuing to meet the moment.”
About 10 nautical miles off the coast of Ocean City and about nine nautical miles offshore Sussex County, Delaware, are the two areas where leases are available. It is predicted that the US Wind project may sustain up to 2,679 jobs yearly for seven years if permitted.
A strong offshore wind sector in the United States will be created if this project is allowed, according to BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. “Good-paying, family-supporting employment” will also be created if the project is approved. “We are dedicated to protecting the ocean environment and marine life by utilizing the greatest available research and traditional knowledge as the basis for our choices. Other stakeholders, such as our government partners and ocean users, will be crucial to a successful environmental assessment process, and we welcome their feedback.
By setting the first-ever national offshore wind energy objective, President Biden set the stage for a bright future for this cutting-edge sector. President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which will make historic investments to build a stronger America with clean energy, robust infrastructure, and strong domestic manufacturing and supply chains, supports this aim.
There were seven prospective lease sales identified for 2025 as part of the Administration’s new leasing strategy, which was unveiled in the autumn. Businesses in the supply chain of offshore wind energy in the United States have a $109 billion revenue opportunity over the next decade, according to a new analysis.
In order to assist BOEM define the extent of its environmental evaluation, the posting of the NOI opened a 30-day public comment period through July 8, 2022.
According to US Wind’s plan, these are some of the highlights:
As many as 650,000 households in Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia may be powered each year by an offshore wind project with a total capacity of between 1,100 and 2,000 megawatts of pure, sustainable wind energy.
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware will receive up to 121 turbines, four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors, all of which are expected to dock either 3 R’s Beach or Tower Road.
As a result of the NOI public comment period, BOEM will be able to determine what environmental factors it should take into account while reviewing US Wind’s COP. As the scoping process progresses, BOEM has a number of chances to assist identify critical resources and concerns, impact-producing elements, viable alternatives, and possible mitigation options.
Three public scoping sessions will be held virtually by BOEM throughout the comment period to provide input into the EIS’s creation:
5 p.m. ET on June 21st
Afternoon on Thursday, June 23
On Monday, June 27th, at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
On BOEM’s website, you may sign up for the virtual public meetings and find out more about the planned wind energy plant, as well as how to comment on it.