Announcements
- New Report on Offshore Wind Impact on Oceanographic Processes
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released a new report, “Offshore Wind Impact on Oceanographic Processes: North Carolina to New York.” The study, prepared by RPS Ocean Science, a Tetra Tech company, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, study sought to determine effects of offshore wind energy facilities on coastal and oceanic environmental conditions and habitats by examining how oceanic characteristics change after turbine installation, particularly for bottom stress, turbulent mixing, along and cross-shelf transport, wind-wave interactions, and larval transport. The study also assessed how such changes may affect Atlantic sea scallop, Atlantic surf clam, and black sea bass. Volume 1 of the report can be found here and Volume 2 (Appendices) can be found here.
- Offshore Wind Company Asks to Cancel its New Jersey Project
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind petitioned the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) on June 4, 2025 to terminate its Offshore Renewable Energy Certificate (OREC) order. The company, which is a partnership between power and fuel company Shell and EDF Renewables North America, was in the process of developing a 1.5-gigawatt wind turbine power project east of Atlantic City. Had it been constructed, the project would have powered about 700,000 homes across the state. The company cited economic turmoil, including inflation and supply chain disruptions, as well as a federal permitting freeze under the Trump administration, as reasons for the cancellation. More information can be found here.
- American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting Early Registration Deadline Extended
The early registration deadline for the American Fisheries Society (AFS) 155th Annual Meeting has been extended until July 8, 2025. The American Fisheries Society’s Annual Meeting brings together a global community of fisheries professionals to share knowledge, foster innovation, and advance the science and management of aquatic resources. AFS Annual Meetings serve as a premier forum for networking, learning, and collaboration, ensuring the future of sustainable fisheries and ecosystems. The annual meeting will be held in San Antonio Texas from August 10-14, 2025 and includes complete access to Black Bass 2025 sessions. More information and to registration for the meeting can be found here.
- Upcoming Webinar: Offshore Wind Vessels – Constraints and Opportunities
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is hosting a Learning from the Experts webinar, “Offshore Wind Vessels – Constraints and Opportunities”, on 11 June 2025 from 1:00-2:00pm EST (5:00-6:00pm UTC). In this webinar, Tyler Boje and Jonathan Lints with Clarksons will discuss the inventory of vessels available to serve the U.S. offshore wind market, the impacts of constraints and bottlenecks, and opportunities for future investments. More information and free registration for the webinar can be found here.
- OES-Environmental Launches new Marine Renewable Energy Educational Resources
OES-Environmental has recently added a new guide to its Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) Educational Resources page on Tethys, which hosts resources to increase awareness and understanding of marine renewable energy and associated environmental effects and support the future workforce. The materials and resources on this page can be used by students of all ages and educational backgrounds. The MRE resources include video series and webinars, podcasts, technical reports, career panels, and an interactive video game. More information can be found here.
- Upcoming Webinar: Anthropogenic Energy in the Marine Environment
The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland (MASTS) is hosting an Open Forum Session, “Anthropogenic Energy in the Marine Environment”, on 18 June 2025 from 10:00-11:00am BST (9:00-10:00am UTC). The session will include presentations on energy pollution from offshore wind, energy pollution by ships, and improving tidal energy capture by a partial-width array using Flow Alteration by Introduced Roughness (FLAIR). More information and free registration for the webinar can be found here.
- South Fork Wind Creating “Reef Effect”
The South Fork Wind Benthic Monitoring Program released a visual survey earlier this month conducted at South Fork Wind, an offshore wind farm located 16.5 nautical miles southeast of Block Island, Rhode Island in the Cox Ledge area. The survey shows that the project has had minimal environmental impact on the surrounding marine ecosystem and has created a positive “reef effect.” Key findings of the study include no detectable changes to the biological communities on the seafloor surrounding the turbines; marine life is using the wind turbine foundations as habitat; and the project is already creating a reef effect, providing habitat for commercially, recreationally, and ecologically important marine species. Similar “reef effects” have been documented by peer reviewed studies at European wind farms and during a seven-year study at the Block Island Wind Farm, which showed there was a greater amount of Atlantic cod and black sea bass in the wind farm area compared to two control areas outside the wind farm, and all other species abundance was even. More information can be found here. The South Fork Wind Benthic Monitoring Program can be found here.
- Stop Work Order on Empire Wind 1 Lifted, Equinor Resumes Construction
Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire), a subsidiary of Equinor ASA, has been informed by the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) that the stop work order has been lifted for the 810-megawatt (MW) Empire Wind 1 project offshore New York, allowing construction activities to resume. The stop work order was issued on 16 April 2025. Following dialogue with regulators and federal, state, and city officials, the stop work order has been lifted and construction activities will resume. More information can be found here.
- US Wind Proposed $20M Deal to Aid Fishermen Amid Offshore Wind Plans
US Wind, an offshore wind developer, has announced a significant $20 million investment package to support commercial fishing operations in Maryland and Delaware through agreements with their respective environmental agencies. The investment, described as one of the region’s largest commitments to commercial fishing, will be distributed with $13.5 million allocated to Maryland’s Fishing Community Resilience Fund and the remainder to Delaware’s Multi-Use Fishing Community Resilience Fund. The comprehensive package includes funding for harbor maintenance, grants for fishing businesses, gear innovation, seafood marketing, and a $5.4 million claims-based compensation fund for fishermen who can demonstrate revenue losses due to US Wind projects. The agreement, signed with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, aims to balance clean energy development with fishing industry support, while also providing over $1 million for navigation and crew safety improvements near the windfarms. As part of the development, US Wind will establish an Operations and Maintenance facility at West Ocean City Harbor, using one of its two optioned properties to coordinate turbine servicing and support. More information can be found here.
- Supreme Court Declines to Hear Challenges to Vineyard Wind
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear two cases challenging the federal approval of Vineyard Wind. Commercial fishing interests sued the federal agencies involved in approving the wind farm, which is under construction 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The fishing groups argued that approving Vineyard Wind violated procedure and several environmental laws; however, lower courts sided with the government approval of the wind farm, and now the Supreme Court leaves those decisions in place. More information can be found here.
- Save the Date: Fisheries & Benthic Monitoring TechSurge
The Marine Technology Society, in partnership with Rhode Island Sea Grant and the University of Rhode Island (URI), and in collaboration with the Responsible Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA) and the Northeast Regional Ocean Council (NROC), invites you to save the date for the Fisheries & Benthic Monitoring TechSurge. This two-day TechSurge will convene experts from across sectors to explore advancements in monitoring technologies and practices that support responsible offshore development. The TechSurge will feature a combination of curated panels, an open call for abstracts, and the Tech Café—an interactive exhibit hall showcasing innovative technologies through desktop demonstrations, along with lightning talks from both industry and student participants. Please mark your calendars for October 8-9, 2025—additional information, including registration details, abstract submissions, and sponsorship opportunities, will be shared soon. To explore sponsorship and partnership opportunities, kindly contact [email protected]. The TechSurge will be held at the University of Rhode Island in Narragansett, RI. For more information click here.
- Massachusetts Attorney General Sues POTUS to Defend Offshore Wind
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell is suing the Trump administration in response to a presidential memorandum barring further leasing and permitting of offshore wind projects, and ordering a review of federal permitting practices across all projects. There is no timeline for this review, effectively making the freeze indefinite. Already permitted projects also face a review of their leases. More information can be found here.
- E-TWG Release Final Version of Frequently Asked Questions: Offshore Wind and Whales
The Whale Communications Specialist Committee of the Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) has released the final version of its Frequently Asked Questions: Offshore Wind and Whales document, which is intended to aid in the dissemination of current, accurate, and readily understandable information around whale mortality events and the level of potential risk to whales from offshore wind energy development activities. The FAQ is intended primarily as a resource for stakeholders who are in direct communication with the general public, and who regularly receive questions from the public on these topics. The FAQ document is also accompanied by a communications toolkit, handout, and fact sheet. More information can be found here and the FAQ document can be found here.
- South Korean Industrial Firm has Started Construction of an Offshore Wind Cable Factory in Chesapeake, VA
The South Korean industrial firm LS Cable & System has started construction of a $700 million offshore wind cable factory in Chesapeake, VA. Its subsidiary LS Greenlink aims to complete its manufacturing and port facility by the first quarter of 2028. The facility includes a 750,000 square foot manufacturing plant and a 660-foot vertical continuous vulcanization tower to manufacture high-voltage direct-current submarine cables. LS Greenlink aims to complete the initial phase – which will require more than $680 million of investment – by the third quarter of 2027, ahead of full operations starting by the first quarter of 2028 when it will employ some 330 workers. More information can be found here.
- New York State Energy Research and Development Authority Releases 3-Year Strategic Plan
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) recently released its strategic plan for the next three years. “Toward a Clean Energy Future: A Strategic Outlook 2025-2028” outlines NYSERDA’s plans to contribute to New York’s progress toward a more sustainable economy. The strategic plan underpins the agency’s commitment to a clean energy transition that is affordable, reliable, and equitable, while improving quality of life, expanding the economy, and protecting the environment. More information can be found here and the Strategic Outlook can be found here.
- Equinor Suspends Offshore Construction Activities for the Empire Wind Project
On April 16, Empire received notice from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), ordering Empire to halt all activities on the outer continental shelf until BOEM has completed its review. In accordance with the halt work order, Empire Offshore Wind LLC (Empire) will safely halt the offshore construction in waters of the outer continental shelf for the Empire Wind project until legal remedies are determined. The federal lease for Empire Wind was signed with the US Administration in 2017. Empire Wind 1 has validly secured all necessary federal and state permits and is currently under construction. The project is being developed under contract with New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) to provide an important new source of electricity for the State of New York. The construction phase has put more than 1,500 people to work in the US. Empire Wind 1 has the potential to power 500,000 New York homes. More information can be found here.
- Actions Needed to Address Gaps in Interior’s Oversight of Development
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has released a comprehensive review of U.S. offshore wind energy development, highlighting both potential benefits and concerns surrounding climate and public health, marine life and ecosystems, fishing industry, economic and community, tribal resources, defense and radar systems, and maritime navigation and safety impacts. The GAO determined that the extent of some impacts is unknown, including long-term and cumulative impacts. The GAO made five recommendations to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), focusing on improving tribal consultation and incorporating of Indigenous knowledge, fishing industry input consideration, communication planning, and regional oversight resources, particularly in the North Atlantic region where construction on some offshore wind projects is already underway. More information can be found here.
- New Paper on Artificial Reef Effects at Offshore Wind Structures
A new open access article in Nature titled “Biodiversity Information of benthic Species at ARtificial structures – BISAR.” Authors from across Europe, in addition to authors from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and INSPIRE Environmental, compiled data on benthic communities from various studies and projects on 34 artificial structures (including offshore wind turbines) and surrounding soft bottom habitat in the North Sea. The result is a quality-checked data product with a total of 3864 samples across 890 taxa. Various stakeholders (e.g., industry, public authorities, research) will profit from the BISAR data collection as the greatest challenge in an era of blue growth is to get access to data from various sources. The paper can be accessed here.
- Call for Abstracts: 155th American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting
Abstract submission is now open for the 155th meeting of the American Fisheries Society in San Antonio, Texas, August 10-14, 2025. The theme for 2025 is Headwaters to Saltwater: Understanding the Past, Protecting the Future, 155 Years of AFS. The 2025 Annual Meeting also includes the Black Bass 2025 Symposium, which will feature concurrent sessions organized under the topical themes of Ecology, Management, and Conservation. The deadline for abstracts is April 15, 2025. More information can be found here.
- Oceantic Network and Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Partner to Advance State’s Offshore Wind Supply Chain
Oceantic Network has announced a new partnership with the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center (MassCEC) to deliver specialized offshore wind education and training programs to businesses across Massachusetts. The collaboration aims to equip local companies with knowledge and resources to support the offshore wind energy industry, creating new business opportunities while helping the state meet its clean energy goals. The partnership will offer Oceantic Network’s signature training programs including Offshore Wind 101, Offshore Wind Ready, and Foundation 2 Blade, with the first training sessions scheduled for March 25 in Auburn and May 20 in Salem, Massachusetts. More information can be found here.
- DEME Installs First Coastal Virginia Offshore Substation in US
The first of three offshore substations has been installed at the 2.6-gigawatt (GW) Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, located 43 kilometers off the coast of Virginia Beach, the US. The 3,907-metric ton lift marks the completion of the installation of the first topside onto the jacket, which was previously installed by DEME. The first substation arrived at the Portsmouth Marine Terminal in January 2025, while the four pin piles for one offshore substation jacket were installed at the site in 2024 as part of the first installation campaign. More information can be found here.
- BOEM’s Draft Finding for Passive Acoustic Monitoring Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Now Available
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has made a Draft Finding of no historic properties affected for passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). PAM activities include deploying passive acoustic equipment and collecting data to assess anthropogenic noise and the presence of marine species throughout the Atlantic OCS. This announcement initiates a 45-day public review and comment period on the draft finding, which is available on BOEM.gov. Please submit comments to BOEM’s Center for Marine Acoustics at [email protected] by April 26. More information can be found here.
- RODA Asks Supreme Court to Hear Vineyard Wind Case
The Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA), a coalition of fishing groups and communities, petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court on March 5 to hear their challenge against federal permits for the Vineyard Wind 1 project off southern New England. The case centers on RODA’s contention that the Interior Department reinterpreted the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act to approve the 804-megawatt project, arguing that the law requires prevention of interference with reasonable uses like fishing, not merely ‘considering’ or ‘balancing’ these factors against offshore wind development. More information can be found here.
- OES-Environmental 2025 State of the Science Report Released
The Ocean Energy Systems (OES)-Environmental has released its 2024 State of the Science Report, a comprehensive 300-page document examining the potential environmental effects of marine renewable energy development worldwide. The report, representing the culmination of a four-year effort (2020-2024) with participation from 16 nations, builds upon previous reports from 2020, 2016, and 2013. Following this report, OES-Environmental is launching Phase 5 (2024-2028), which will focus on four new research areas: environmental acceptability recommendations, off-grid applications, system-wide effects of larger arrays, and deeper exploration of social and economic impacts, all aimed at advancing marine renewable energy in an environmentally responsible manner. More information and the 2024 report can be found here.
- Company Cancels Plans to Build Offshore Wind Industry Factory in Massachusetts
Italian company, Prysmian Group, has canceled plans to build an undersea cable factory for the offshore wind industry on the site of the former Brayton Point Power Plant in Somerset, Massachusetts. The factory would have created at least 150 manufacturing jobs and provided significant economic relief to Somerset, which lost half its property tax revenue when the power plant closed in 2017. While Prysmian officially stated it was “aligning manufacturing capacity with changing market demands,” local Congressman Jake Auchincloss attributes the cancellation to President Trump’s day-one executive order banning future leases of federal waters to offshore wind developers. More information can be found here.
- New Jersey Retreats from Offshore Wind
New Jersey has abandoned plans for a fourth offshore wind solicitation, effectively ending the proposed Atlantic Shores project following Shell’s withdrawal as an equity partner. This decision by the state Board of Public Utilities marks a significant retreat from Governor Phil Murphy’s renewable energy goals and represents a victory for New Jersey commercial fishermen who had opposed large-scale wind projects near their fishing grounds. The Atlantic Shores project was to be the state’s flagship offshore wind development after Ørsted cancelled its Ocean Wind plan in late 2023 due to rising costs. While Governor Murphy maintains that offshore wind development remains a valuable opportunity for job creation and energy independence, he acknowledged the industry faces significant challenges and supported the decision to pause. More information can be found here.
- BOEM cancels virtual public meetings for Vineyard Mid-Atlantic offshore wind project
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has cancelled its planned virtual public meetings for the Vineyard Mid-Atlantic offshore wind project following a federal directive to pause offshore wind leasing. The decision follows a memorandum from the Department of the Interior implementing former President Trump’s temporary halt on new offshore wind approvals, leases, and permits pending a review of federal wind leasing practices. BOEM had initially published a Notice of Intent (NOI) on January 15, 2025, announcing the preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project, triggering a 45-day public comment period. While the virtual meetings will no longer take place, written comments can still be submitted via www.regulations.gov under Docket No. BOEM-2025-0002 until March 3, 2025. More information can be found here.
- Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of the Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects
President Trump issued a memorandum implementing a temporary withdrawal of all areas on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) from offshore wind leasing and ordering a comprehensive review of federal wind leasing and permitting practices. The directive withdraws all areas within the OCS from disposition for wind energy leasing effective January 21, 2025, until the memorandum is revoked, though it does not affect rights under existing leases. The order also mandates a temporary cessation of new or renewed approvals, rights of way, permits, leases, or loans for both onshore and offshore wind projects pending a comprehensive assessment of federal wind leasing practices. The review will examine environmental impacts on wildlife, economic costs of intermittent electricity generation, and the effect of subsidies on industry viability. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Finalizes Fisheries Mitigation Guidance
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has finalized guidance aimed at mitigating the impacts of offshore wind energy projects on commercial and for-hire recreational fisheries. BOEM’s final guidance, informed by extensive public input, provides a national framework for addressing social and economic impacts on the fishing industry affected by offshore wind development. The guidance establishes clear processes for the offshore wind industry to address potential disruptions to fisheries and ensures consistency and promotes fair treatment of fishermen, regardless of their home or landing port. More information is available here. The full guidance document is available here.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Project on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf Offshore New York
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Managment (BOEM) announced its intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) of Vineyard Mid-Atlantic’s proposed offshore wind energy project, located in the federal waters offshore New York and New Jersey. The Notice of Intent (NOI) initiates the public scoping and comment process under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and under section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). The Vineyard Mid-Atlantic Offshore Wind project is in one of the six lease areas within the New York Bight Wind Energy Area, and as proposed would generate over 2,000 megawatts of electricity from up to 117 wind turbines. More information is available here. The NOI is available here.
June 24, 2022
On June 24, 2022, BOEM published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Ocean Wind 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Ocean Wind, LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore New Jersey. The NOA initiates a 45-day public comment period that ends August 8th, 2022 at 11:59 pm. For more information regarding the virtual public hearing and the dates it will be held, refer here.
Reducing or Avoiding Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Fisheries
June 24, 2022
In July, BOEM will hold four public meetings in consultation with NFMS and affected coastal states to discuss draft guidance for ways to mitigate impacts from offshore wind projects on commercial and recreational fisheries and fishing. Dates and meeting information can be found here.
June 23, 2022
BOEM has standardized its process for identifying alternatives in its draft Environmental Impact Statements (EISs) for all Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Plans (COPs) received from lessees. More information on BOEM’s standardization process for the finalized document can be found here. The finalized document can be found on BOEM’s website here.