Announcements
- BOEM Begins Process for Second Central Atlantic Offshore Wind Sale
BOEM announced it will publish a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) for a second regional offshore wind energy sale in the Central Atlantic (Central Atlantic 2) and invites public feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. BOEM will accept nominations and comments through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 21, 2024. BOEM will also host several virtual and in-person public meetings in September and October, including a virtual Task Force meeting via Zoom on September 10-11, 2024. More information can be found here. Registration for the public meetings can be found here.
- Interior Department Issues Offshore Wind Research Lease to State of Maine
BOEM announced the execution of the nation’s first floating offshore wind energy research lease. The lease area covers less than 15,000 acres located 28 nautical miles offshore Maine on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and could allow for the deployment of up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 MW. BOEM engaged with the State of Maine Governor’s Energy Office throughout the application review and lease development process to develop a lease that yields high-quality research on offshore wind in the Gulf of Maine. On May 24, 2024, BOEM offered a research lease to the State of Maine after completing a Final Environmental Assessment and associated finding of no significant impacts. More information can be found here.
- Biden-Harris Administration’s Central Atlantic Offshore Wind Lease Sale Yields Nearly $93 Million
The Department of the Interior announced two provisional winners and $92.65 million in winning bids in BOEM’s wind energy auction for two lease areas offshore the states of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. Equinor Wind US LLC provisionally won Lease OCS-A 0557 at $75,001,001, which consists of 101,443 acres and is approximately 26 nautical miles (nm) from Delaware Bay. Virginia Electric and Power Co provisionally won Lease OCS-A 0558 at $17,650,500, which consists of 176,505 acres and is approximately 35 nm from the entrance of Chesapeake Bay. Six companies participated in the auction. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Releases Final Environmental Impact Statement for Wind Energy Project Offshore Maryland
BOEM announced the availability of its final Environmental Impact Statement 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 MW for the Delmarva Peninsula and power up to 770,000 homes. If approved, the project proposes to install up to 114 turbines, up to 4 offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to 4 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. More information can be found here.
- Biden-Harris Administration Approves Ninth Offshore Wind Project
The Department of the Interior today announced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project – the nation’s ninth commercial-scale, offshore wind energy project. The Atlantic Shores South wind project consists of two wind energy facilities — Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1 and 2 — and associated export cables, which are expected to generate up to 2,800 MW of electricity, enough to power close to one million homes with clean renewable energy. The project is approximately 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey at its closest point. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Approves Construction and Operations Plan for New England Wind’s Offshore Wind Projects
BOEM announced its approval of the New England Wind Construction and Operations Plan (COP), which authorizes construction and operation of two wind energy projects, known as New England Wind 1 and New England Wind 2, which together will have a total capacity of up to 2,600 MW that could power more than 900,000 homes each year. This is the final approval of these two projects from BOEM, following the agency’s April 2024 Record of Decision. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Approves Construction and Operations Plan for Sunrise Wind’s Offshore Wind Project
BOEM announced its approval of Sunrise Wind’s plan for construction and operations. This is the final approval from BOEM, following the Department of the Interior’s March 24 Record of Decision on the Project. The Sunrise Wind Project will be located south of Martha’s Vineyard, MA and east of Block Island, RI, and will have a total capacity of 924 MW capable of powering more than 320,000 homes annually. More information can be found here. The Record of Decision can be found here. - The Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) Principles
The NEAMAP Operations Committee has recently generated a paper on The Northeast Area Monitoring and Assessment Program (NEAMAP) principles. This paper defines a “NEAMAP survey” for any survey that declares itself as “following NEAMAP protocols”. NEAMAP surveys are conducted by NEAMAP partners; they include both partner and Operations Committee designed surveys, and operate on local and regional spatial scales. NEAMAP surveys are designed to collect long-term fishery-independent data on species abundance, distributions, and life history, as well as related ecosystem and environmental information. NEAMAP surveys are reviewed and approved by the NEAMAP Operations Committee. NEAMAP data are collected to support fisheries management, as well as to enhance knowledge of marine fish and invertebrate stocks and the ecosystem.
- Regional Fund Administrator for an Offshore Wind Fisheries Mitigation Fund (RFP 5554)
NYSERDA through Request for Proposals (RFP) 5554 seeks a qualified entity to serve as the Regional Fund Administrator to design and develop an offshore wind energy-related comprehensive fisheries compensatory mitigation fund and associated claims processes to serve states, the fishing community, and offshore wind developers working on projects in the water along the East Coast of the United States. Applications accepted through March 26, 2024. More information can be found here.
- Enrollment Opens for Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program
The Vineyard Wind 1 project has launched its Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program to provide fair, equitable compensation to commercial fishermen for economic impacts attributable to the project’s construction, operations, and decommissioning activities. The launch of the program opens a 90-day window, until June 3, 2024, for fishermen to qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com. More information can be found here.
- Enrollment Opens for Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program
The Vineyard Wind 1 project has launched its Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program to provide fair, equitable compensation to commercial fishermen for economic impacts attributable to the project’s construction, operations, and decommissioning activities. The launch of the program opens a 90-day window, until June 3, 2024, for fishermen to qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com. More information can be found here.
- New York Governor has announced conditional awards from New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation for the Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind projects, totaling 1.7 GW
New York Governor Hochul announced the State has conditionally awarded two offshore wind projects from its fourth offshore wind solicitation – a planned 810-MW project, Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind, a planned 924-MW project. The projects will create more than 800 near-term family-sustaining construction jobs and invest $2 billion in near-term enhanced economic development statewide, including developer-committed investments to support disadvantaged communities. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Completes Environmental Analysis for Proposed Wind Project Offshore Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York
In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, BOEM has completed its environmental review of the proposed New England Wind project offshore Massachusetts. BOEM estimates the proposed project would generate up to 2,600 MW of electricity, enough to power more than 900,000 homes with clean, renewable energy. More information can be found here.
- Vineyard Wind, America’s First Large-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, Delivers Full Power from 5 Turbines to the New England Grid
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Massachusetts’ first offshore wind project, Vineyard Wind 1, delivered power for the project’s first phase to the New England electric grid. The Vineyard Wind 1 project is the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the nation to begin initial operations, with 5 of the 62 planned turbines operating at full capacity and currently generating 68 MW of power, enough to power 30,000 homes in Massachusetts. More information can be found here.
- New York’s First Offshore Wind Farm Completed
South Fork Wind installed the final wind turbine on February 20, 2024. The 132 MW South Fork Wind, located 56 km east of Montauk Point, NY, comprises twelve 11-MW wind turbines installed on monopile foundations. The first turbine was installed in December 2023 and the offshore wind farm delivered its first power to the grid. More information can be found here.
- NOAA Fisheries Finalizes Habitat Area of Particular Concern Offshore of Southern New England
NOAA Fisheries is designating a Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) in and around offshore wind lease areas in southern New England, including Cox Ledge. The New England Fishery Management Council recommended the HAPC designation due to concerns about the potential adverse impact on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) from the development of offshore wind energy projects. More information on the HAPC can be found here.
- BOEM and NOAA Announce Final North Atlantic Right Whale and Offshore Wind Strategy
BOEM and NOAA Fisheries released a final joint strategy to protect and promote the recovery of endangered North Atlantic right whales while responsibly developing offshore wind energy. BOEM and NOAA Fisheries are also working with partners to develop a regional passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) network to identify the larger scale movements and distribution of North Atlantic right whales, and other marine mammals. These efforts align with the 2022 interagency memorandum between BOEM and NOAA that will leverage the responsibilities, expertise and relationships of both agencies in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s offshore wind energy goals while protecting biodiversity and promoting cooperative ocean use. More information can be found here.
- New Jersey Retakes Initiative With Third Offshore Wind Solicitation
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities selected two projects to deliver 3.7 GW of offshore wind generation in its third offshore wind solicitation round. EnergyRE and Invenergy’s 2,400 MW Leading Light project and Corio Generation and TotalEnergies’ 1,342 MW Attentive Energy 2 project were awarded contracts. New Jersey now has more than 5.2 GW contracted, marking substantial progress toward its 11 GW by 2040 goal. More information can be found here.
- Call for Proposals & Abstracts: State of Science 2024
Proposals for symposia and slide meetings, and abstracts for oral and poster presentations are now being accepted for the State of Science 2024 workshop taking place on July 16-19, 2024. Submissions are accepted until January 26, 11:59 p.m. ET. More information can be found here.
- Governor Hochul announces largest state investment in renewable energy in U.S. history, completing one of the actions in the State’s 10-Point Action Plan
Governor Hochul announced the release of the 10-Point Action Plan to expand and support the growing large-scale renewable energy industry in New York, reaffirming the State’s commitment to achieving the Climate Act goals. This procurement represents a significant milestone with the conditionally awarded projects including three new offshore wind projects and 22 large-scale, land-based renewable energy projects totaling 6.4 gigawatts – enough to power 2.6 million homes in New York. The three new offshore wind projects will result in 4,032 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 2 million homes. The 10-Point Action Plan outlines a comprehensive set of actions being taken to lay the foundation for a sustainable future for all New Yorkers through the expansion of the State’s growing clean energy economy and renewable energy sector.
- Save the Date: State of the Science 2024 Taking an Ecosystem Approach Integrating Offshore Wind, Wildlife, and Fisheries
On behalf of the Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is pleased to announce that the next State of the Science Workshop on Offshore Wind Energy, Wildlife, and Fisheries will be held July 16-19, 2024 on Long Island.
- NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Implement the Prohibition of Commercial Fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
NOAA Fisheries seeks comments on defining the boundary coordinates of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument area and reflecting the prohibition on commercial fishing in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act regulations. Click here for more information. The Proposed Rule can be found here.
- Release: Recommendations for Regional Environmental Research
An expert committee of the New York State Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) has released guidance for conducting regional environmental research and monitoring efforts in relation to offshore wind energy development. These recommendations are intended to support environmental research in the U.S. Atlantic, but have broad applicability to research efforts in all regions of offshore wind development. The guidance was developed with extensive stakeholder feedback. Recommendations can be found here.
- Surface and subsurface oceanographic features drive forage fish distributions and aggregations: Implications for prey availability to top predators in the US Northeast Shelf ecosystem
Forage fishes are a critical food web link in marine ecosystems, aggregating in a hierarchical patch structure over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Existing survey and analysis methods are often imperfect for studying forage fishes at scales appropriate to foraging predators, making it difficult to quantify predator–prey interactions. In this study, Bayesian joint species distribution models were applied to bottom trawl survey data to assess species- and community-level forage fish distribution patterns across the US Northeast Continental Shelf (NES) ecosystem. More information on this study can be found here.
- Technical Guidance for Offshore Wind Energy Projects in the Greater Atlantic Region
A Technical Guidance has been developed to help agencies with their analysis of the effects of proposed offshore wind projects in the Greater Atlantic Region. This information aids in BOEMs decisions regarding the impacts of offshore wind energy development and operations on endangered or threatened species, marine mammals, fisheries, marine and estuarine habitats, and fishing communities.
- NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Technical Assistance on Protected Species Best Management Practices and Risk Reduction Measures for Fisheries Surveys and Monitoring Activities to Support Offshore Wind Energy Projects Development
This technical document provides information and recommendations to offshore wind energy lessees/project proponents and other stakeholders for consideration when designing and implementing surveys, monitoring, or research activities targeting fish species managed by the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).
- NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Permitting Considerations for Fisheries Surveys and Monitoring Activities to Support Offshore Wind Energy Development
Information for offshore wind energy lesees/project proponents and other stakeholders is provided in this document regarding applicable permitting considerations for surveys, monitoring, or research activities targeting fish species managed by the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2.6 Billion Framework Through Investing in America Agenda to Protect Coastal Communities and Restore Marine Resources
The U.S. Department of Commerce unveiled a $2.6 billion framework to invest in coastal climate resilience through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. As part of the President’s Investing in America Agenda, this initiative will support communities and people on the frontlines of climate change, dedicating nearly $400 million specifically for Tribal priorities and benefiting coastal and Great Lakes communities nationwide with an emphasis on environmental justice. Additional investments from the Inflation Reduction Act will improve weather and climate data and services, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful conservation initiative, and strengthen NOAA’s fleet of research airplanes and ships that are used to study and collect data about the ocean and atmosphere.
- Science Priorities for Offshore Wind and Fisheries Research in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Ecosystem: Perspectives from Scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service
Offshore wind development (OWD) is set to expand rapidly in the United States as a component of the nation’s effort to combat climate change. Offshore wind development in the United States is slated to begin in the Greater Atlantic region, where it is expected to interact with ocean ecology, human dimensions, fisheries data collections, and fisheries management. Understanding these interactions is key to ensuring the coexistence of offshore wind energy with sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine ecosystem. To view the full publication, click here.
- Fisheries and Offshore Wind Interactions: Synthesis of Science
There is a need to synthesize current and past scientific research that has examined the interactions between OSW, fisheries, and the marine ecosystems due to the rapid pace and broad scope of offshore wind development. NOAA Fisheries and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have partnered with the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) to identify the topics critical for consideration in relation to offshore wind. The Synthesis of Science report discussing these topics can be found 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.