OFFSHORE WIND (CONT.)

It’s amazing what can happen when you get the right people talking together early on,” he said.

“BOEM values a robust and transparent offshore wind planning process, which requires early and frequent engagement with Tribal governments, the Department of Defense, NASA, other government agencies, and ocean users” stated BOEM Director Liz Klein. “We will continue to work closely with them, and all interested stakeholders, as we move forward with our environmental review.”

On August 1, 2023, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register to prepare an environmental assessment of the potential impacts of offshore wind leasing in the three final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. The NOI initiated a 30day public comment period, during which time BOEM is seeking input from the public on the potential environmental impacts of offshore wind development in the WEAs.

Partnering with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), BOEM developed a comprehensive, ecosystem-based ocean planning model that assisted in the selection of the final WEAs, leveraging best available data on natural resources, ocean industries like fisheries and energy production, and areas of national security activities to identify areas with high wind energy resource potential while reducing potential impacts to other ocean users and sensitive environmental resources, facilitating greater transparency and positive coordination with government partners and ocean stakeholders through direct engagement and incorporation of their feedback into the NCCOS model.

For more information on the final WEAs and BOEM’s notice to prepare an environmental assessment, go to BOEM’s website, boem. gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic.

Source: BOEM