BOEM Archives - Page 11 of 81

Feds pledge ‘comprehensive investigation’ of Vineyard Wind blade failure

July 29, 2024 — After initially signaling plans for an “independent assessment,” federal regulators told the News Service on Thursday that they are conducting a “comprehensive and independent investigation” into an incident that sent part of a Vineyard Wind turbine blade tumbling into the Atlantic Ocean and scattered debris across area beaches.

A spokesperson for the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said Thursday that the agency’s work will take a close look at the root cause of the July 13 incident at a turbine that was undergoing testing off the coast of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

“BSEE is conducting its own comprehensive and independent investigation into the causes and factors contributing to the incident and will evaluate all information provided to us,” the spokesperson said in a statement to the News Service. “BSEE’s policy is to release its findings to the public once our investigation is complete. Currently, there is no specific timeframe for the completion of the investigation.”

After the incident, BSEE ordered Vineyard Wind to stop generating power and to halt installation of new turbines, and issued a “preservation order” that a spokesperson previously said would “safeguard any evidence that may be relevant to determining the cause of the incident.”

Read the full article at WHDH

BOEM Releases Final Environmental Impact Statement for Wind Energy Project Offshore Maryland

July 29, 2024 — The following was released by BOEM:

In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced the availability of its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a proposed wind project offshore Maryland. BOEM has now completed environmental reviews for ten commercial-scale offshore wind projects since the start of the Biden-Harris administration. If approved, this project could generate between 1,100 and 2,200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy for the Delmarva Peninsula, and power up to 770,000 homes.

US Wind is seeking approval for its proposed Maryland offshore wind project, which includes three planned phases. Two of those phases, MarWin and Momentum Wind, have received offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.

“Our environmental review carefully considered the best available science and information provided by Tribes, other government agencies, local communities, industry, ocean users, and environmental organizations,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “This vital collaboration with all our government partners and stakeholders will continue through the subsequent phases of the project.”

BOEM held three public scoping meetings in June 2022 to solicit public input on the environmental review process, and hosted two in-person and two virtual public meetings in October 2023 to gather feedback on a draft of the EIS from Tribal Nations, local community members, commercial fishing interests, and other ocean users.

If approved, the project proposes to install up to 114 turbines, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four corridors for offshore export cables, which would make landfall in Delaware Seashore State Park. The lease area is approximately 8.7 nautical miles (nm) offshore Maryland and approximately 9 nm offshore Sussex County, Delaware, at its closest points to shore.

If approved, the development and construction phases of the project could support an estimated 2,679 jobs annually over seven years.

Biden-Harris Administration’s Progress to Catalyze the Offshore Wind Industry

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation’s first nine commercial scale offshore wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 13 gigawatts of clean energy — enough to power nearly 5 million homes. In that time, the Department has held four offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico. The Department also recently announced a schedule to hold up to 12 additional lease sales through 2028. On August 14, BOEM will hold an offshore wind lease sale for the Central Atlantic, auctioning areas offshore Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia that could generate up to 6.3 gigawatts of clean energy and power up to 2.2 million homes.

The Department has also taken steps to grow a sustainable offshore wind industry by encouraging the use of project labor agreements, strengthening workforce training, bolstering the domestic supply chain, and undertaking enhanced engagement with Tribes, fisheries, underserved communities, and ocean users.

The Maryland Offshore Wind Project final EIS will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days. For more information, visit BOEM’s website.

MASSACHUSETTS: BOEM Hears Mostly Opposition at a Meeting in Eastham

July 25, 2024 — Local officials on the Outer Cape have for a month been calling for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to hold a public information session here about one of eight proposed wind energy areas in the Gulf of Maine — the one sited about 20 miles off Cape Cod’s back shore — before its size and shape are approved.

BOEM, the agency of the Dept. of Interior that is charged with managing the development of offshore wind, finally did that on June 17, and some 200 people turned out at the Four Points by Sheraton for it.

BOEM announced the meeting only six days before it was held. The agency’s renewable energy program specialist Zachary Jylkka said that it was spurred by requests from local officials here and that, despite the planned public comment period being over, BOEM would take comments from the meeting into account.

The Independent spoke to eight people on their way into a packed conference room. Four said they had come to the session because they supported wind development, two said they were against it, and two said they had come to learn more. During the meeting, however, that straw poll did not appear to hold up. Of the 32 people who spoke, 25 opposed the wind energy area proposal or criticized BOEM’s management of it so far, and rounds of applause followed their criticisms. One person speaking in favor of the plan was booed.

Read the full article at The Provincetown Independent

MASSACHUSETTS: In a packed room in Eastham, residents call for ‘reset’ on Outer Cape offshore wind

July 22, 2024 — Outer Cape residents filled a hotel ballroom to capacity in Eastham Wednesday for a meeting on offshore wind development areas off Cape Cod’s eastern shore.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management hosted the information session in response to complaints that the agency has not done enough on the Outer Cape to communicate its plans. The agency has proposed eight areas for lease to developers, totaling nearly 1 million acres.

Among the concerned residents to speak were fishers, a charter boat owner, and Select Board members from at least five towns. Recurring themes included protecting Stellwagen Bank, the location of cable landings, and the role of offshore wind in reducing climate change.

Federal plans show offshore wind areas in the Gulf of Maine starting about 25 miles off Cape Cod.

Luke Feinberg, a project coordinator with BOEM, told the audience the agency does not anticipate that electrical cables would make landfall on the Outer Cape because the area does not have the infrastructure or electrical demand to support it. The closest grid connections BOEM has analyzed are in Sandwich and Plymouth.

“Just want to be very clear, that as we predict today, cables would not be landing in the Outer Cape area or going through the Outer Cape area,” he said.

Read the full article at CAI

Offshore wind meeting nets few answers on sending energy to shore

July 18, 2024 — Of the four people who spoke at a virtual July 10 public meeting held by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the federal agency in charge of leasing offshore U.S. waters, three were concerned about energy transmission lines, cooling stations and standpipes during transmission to the mainland. But the meeting only addressed a draft environmental assessment issued June 21 over effects during the leasing and assessment process, so no answers were forthcoming.

The environmental assessment shows negligible to minor effects on the ocean environment, marine mammals and other ocean animals, navigation and vessel traffic, commercial and recreational fishing, recreation and tourism and cultural, historical and archaeologic resources. The assessment covers the “routine and non-route activities associated with lease and grant issuance, site characterization activities and site assessment activities with the wind energy area.”

A fourth comment came from ocean scientist David Dow of Falmouth, retired from NOAA Fisheries Woods Hole Laboratory in Massachusetts, who raised concerns over an ocean “degraded” by climate change by the time turbines start turning, around 2032, if offshore wind development progresses as planned.

Read the full article at Mount Desert Islander

Wondering about wind farm plans east of Cape Cod? There’s a public meeting coming up

July 16, 2024 — Federal plans to open up the Gulf of Maine for offshore wind production — including in ocean areas directly east of the outermost Cape towns — will be the topic of discussion at a public information session in Eastham on Wednesday.

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management and the state Division of Marine Fisheries are hosting the session with the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management at the Four Points by Sheraton, 3800 State Highway, Eastham, 6-8 p.m.

A Bureau of Ocean Energy Management spokesperson said the event will be in-person only, but noted there are recordings of recent virtual meetings with the same information at tinyurl.com/gulfofmainewindinfo for those unable to attend.

Read the full article at Yahoo! News

MASSACHUSETTS: Wind Projects Make Headway

July 9, 2024 — Offshore wind energy projects continue to progress in the waters south of the Vineyard, with two new wind farms approved and construction starting on a third.

Revolution Wind reported “steel-in-the-water” in an area about 12 miles southwest of Aquinnah. This project was approved last August by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. Headed by Orsted and Eversource, the wind farm is planned to have up to 65 turbines and generate power for Rhode Island and Connecticut.

The company estimated it would start operating the project in 2025. The turbines will be visible from Aquinnah and the town will receive mitigation money.

Revolution Wind will be joined by New England Wind and Sunrise Wind, a pair of projects that recently were approved by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Read the full article at the Vineyard Gazette

Feds taking public input on environmental impacts of offshore wind proposed in Gulf of Maine

July 8, 2024 — The Block Island wind farm off of Rhode Island is one of only two offshore wind projects currently operating in the U.S., but the Biden administration has a goal of 30 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030, and several states also have aggressive goals. Those targets, however, are threatened by surging costs and supply chain issues. (Scott Eisen | Getty Images)

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management will hold public meetings and take comments this month on its draft environmental assessment for proposed offshore wind leases in the Gulf of Maine.

BOEM, an agency of the U.S. Department of the Interior, announced in April its proposal for an offshore wind energy auction. It would include eight leasing areas off the coasts of Maine, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire, with the potential to generate up to 15 megawatts of energy to power up to 5 million homes, according to BOEM.

Read the full article at Yahoo News!

Two offshore wind projects off Martha’s Vineyard win federal approval for construction

July 2, 2024 — Two offshore wind farms immediately southwest of Vineyard Wind have received federal approval to begin construction.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has approved a construction and operations plan for New England Wind 1 and 2, formerly called Park City Wind and Commonwealth Wind.

The projects won their main federal approval back in April — a Record of Decision documenting assessments by multiple agencies. But to build, they still needed the bureau’s final approval announced today.

Read the full article at CAI

New England Wind projects slated for construction

July 2, 2024 — Construction of wind projects off the coast of the Vineyard is starting to ramp up.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved construction and operations plans for two major offshore wind projects recently: Ørsted’s Sunrise Wind received permission in late June, with Avangrid’s New England Wind receiving approvals this week.

Eighty-four turbines are planned for Sunrise Wind, with a capacity of producing 924 megawatts. The project could power more than 320,000 homes, according to the federal energy agency. It’s located around 18 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, and will be providing power to New York.

According to Ørsted, offshore wind construction will “ramp up” later this year, and Sunrise Wind is expected to be fully operational by 2026.

Meanwhile, the federal approval for New England Wind — consisting of two projects called New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2 — is expected to have a total power capacity of 2,600 megawatts of energy, and could power more than 900,000 homes annually, according to the federal energy agency.

Read the full article at MV Times