Obama Administration Initiates Leasing Process for Commercial Wind Development Offshore Massachusetts
2012-02-03 WASHINGTON
Echoing President Obama’s State of
the Union call for an “all of the above” energy strategy, the Bureau of Ocean
Energy Management, together with the commonwealth of Massachusetts, announced
today that it is moving forward with the next step to consider commercial wind
energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf
(OCS) offshore Massachusetts. BOEM
is publishing a Call for Information and Nominations to
identify locations within an offshore area in which there is industry interest
to seek commercial leases for developing wind projects. BOEM is also seeking
public comment about site conditions and other existing uses of the identified
area that would be relevant to BOEM’s potential leasing and development
authorization process.
“BOEM recognizes
the proactive steps that the commonwealth has taken to encourage
environmentally sound offshore wind energy development and we are
working together to refine a suitable Wind Energy Area off
the coast of Massachusetts,” said BOEM Director Tommy P.
Beaudreau. “We will follow marine spatial planning principles as we
continue to gather information and coordinate with
other OCS users throughout the leasing process.”
“Massachusetts is in the
midst of a clean energy revolution, making investments in renewable energy
projects across the state,” said Massachusetts Energy Undersecretary Barbara
Kates-Garnick. “These projects stabilize long-term energy costs, create
home-grown sources of energy and create local jobs. We’re thrilled to have the
support of our federal partners in these efforts and look forward to future
collaboration.”
The
Call Area under consideration is located off the coast of Massachusetts
beginning approximately 12 nautical miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 13
nautical miles southwest of Nantucket. From
its northern boundary, the Call Area extends 33 nautical miles southward to the
60 meter depth contour and has an east/west extent of approximately 47 nautical
miles. The Call Area is approximately 826,241 acres and contains 132 whole OCS
lease blocks as well as 19 partial blocks.
The Call Area was identified by BOEM
after considering comments received in response to a Request for Interest
encompassing a larger area that was issued in December 2010 to launch BOEM’s
commercial wind leasing efforts on the OCS off Massachusetts. Following consultation with
stakeholders through BOEM’s intergovernmental Massachusetts renewable energy task
force — which includes federal, state and tribal
government partners — BOEM announced that it would reduce the planning area off
Massachusetts by about 50 percent and proceed to issue a Call for the reduced
area. Further consultation with the task force led to this Call announced today.
In addition, BOEM is seeking public comment — through a Notice of Intent to
prepare an Environmental Assessment — on the environmental and socioeconomic issues to be
considered as well as alternatives and mitigation measures. The purpose of the EA is to inform decision makers and determine if there
are significant impacts associated with issuing leases and approving site
assessment activities in the potential Wind Energy Areas. In coordination with this National Environmental Policy Act review, BOEM will conduct
a review under Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and requests public comments regarding the identification of historic
properties or potential effects to historic properties through the Notice of
Intent.
BOEM plans to conduct information
sessions in Massachusetts
during the comment period to explain the commercial leasing process and provide
additional opportunities for public input on the scope of the Environmental
Assessment. Details will be posted on BOEM’s website: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Massachusetts.aspx.
Today’s announcement is the latest step in the Department of Interior “Smart
from the Start” offshore wind initiative to facilitate efficient and environmentally
responsible renewable energy development by improving coordination with state,
local and federal partners, identifying and refining priority Wind Energy Areas
for potential development and conducting early environmental reviews.
All
comments or other information on the Call and Environmental Assessment must be
submitted within 45 days
of publication in the Federal Register, in one of the
following ways:
Today’s Federal Register notices are available
for public inspection at: http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/public-inspection/index.html.
A map of the Call area
is available at:
http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Massachusetts.aspx.