Atlantic Fishing Industry Communication and Engagement
The mission of BOEM’s Office of Renewable Energy Programs (OREP) is to oversee responsible offshore renewable energy development activities. BOEM is responsible for carrying out its mission in a manner that, among other things, protects the environment, considers other uses of the potential development area, including use as a fishery, and prevents interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas, and the territorial seas. BOEM strives to communicate Atlantic renewable energy program information via “Notes to Stakeholders” and press releases, Lessee Guidelines for Pre-Construction Surveys, workshops and meetings, BOEM-funded studies, and fact sheets. To be added to our distribution list for future updates, please email us at renewable_reporting@boem.gov.
BOEM Authorized Renewable Energy Development Activities
OREP authorizes the activities of OCS lease holders (lessees) through approval of plans such as site assessment plans (e.g., meteorological tower installation) and construction and operations plans (i.e., plans for the construction and operation of commercial-scale renewable energy projects). BOEM may also issue rights-of-way grants, which would allow for the installation of transmission cables to support renewable energy facilities that are not located on the OCS. The location and status of current Atlantic activities are below.
Nautical Map
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Status of U.S. planning/lease areas (please visit: http://www.boem.gov/acronym-table/)
Fishery representatives and liaisons will be added as they are identified in Lessee plans.
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Southern New England/New York Bight Area
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Cape Wind/Nantucket Sound. Cape Wind Associates, LLC, received a lease for an area totaling 29,425 acres in 2010. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/cape-wind/.
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Bay State Wind: DONG Energy received a lease for an area totaling 187,523 acres in 2015. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Commercial-Wind-Leasing-Offshore-Massachusetts/.The RV Ocean Researcher will be conducting geophysical surveys in the lease area from approximately August 15 – September 19 2016.
Fishery liaison: John Williamson; Cell: 207 939-7055; john@seakeeper.net
Fishery representative (onboard survey vessel R/V Ocean Researcher): Steve Welch; Bridge VSAT phone 011 44 1493 236011; or VHF channel 16
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Offshore MW: OffshoreMW, LLC, received a lease for an area totaling 166,886. For more information, click here. The R/V Shearwater will be conducting geophysical surveys in the lease area from approximately September 23 – October 23, 2016.
Fishery liaison: Rachel Pachter; Phone: 508-680-6455; rpachter@offshoremwllc.com
Fishery representative: Jim Kendall; Phone: 508-287-2010; nbsc@comcast.net
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Deepwater One/Cox Ledge Deepwater Wind New England, LLC, received leases for two areas totaling 164,750 acres in 2013. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Commercial-Wind-Lease-Rhode-Island-and-Massachusetts/.
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Sea2Shore/Rhode Island Sound. National Grid received a right-of-way grant, visit http://www.boem.gov/Block-Island-Transmission-System/.
Fishery liaison: Fishery liaison: Elizabeth Marchetti; Cell: (401) 954-2902; rifisheryliaison@gmail.com
Status: General Activities Plan approved, cable installation complete, and cable protection measures installed.
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New York. On October 27, 2016, the Department of Interior announced that 79,350 acres offshore New York will be offered in a December 15, 2016 commercial wind lease sale. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/New-York/.
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Mid-Atlantic Bight
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New Jersey North Lease Area. In November 2015, BOEM held a lease sale for the Wind Energy Area offshore New Jersey. The winner of the north lease sale was US Wind, Inc. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/New-Jersey/.
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New Jersey South Lease Area. In November 2015, BOEM held a lease sale for the Wind Energy Area offshore New Jersey. The winner of the south lease sale was RES America Developments Inc. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/New-Jersey/.
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Delaware. Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC, received a lease for an area totaling 96,430 acres in 2012. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Delaware/.
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Maryland. US Wind Inc., received leases for two areas totaling 79,707 acres in 2014. Contact information for US Wind Maryland Fisheries Representatives is as follows:
Commercial Fishing Representative:
Merrill Campbell; Cell: 410-251-0903; campbells101@comcast.net
Recreational Fishing Representative:
Brian Tinkler; Cell: 410-430-3550; brian@ocsunsetmarina.com
For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Maryland/.
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Virginia. Virginia Electric and Power Company (dba
Dominion Virginia Power) received a lease for an area totaling
112,799 acres in 2013. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/Commercial-Lease-Offshore-VA/.
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South Atlantic Bight
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North Carolina Kitty Hawk. BOEM has published a “Proposed Sale Notice” for public comment. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/North-Carolina/.
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North Carolina/South Carolina Cape Fear to Cape Romain. BOEM received two nominations to develop all or portions of the four South Carolina Call Areas. BOEM will review the nominations and work with the South Carolina Renewable Energy Task Force to assess next steps. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/South-Carolina/.
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Georgia. BOEM is processing an application from Southern Company for an Interim Policy lease off the coast of Tybee Island, which would authorize the installation and operation of a meteorological tower and/or buoy. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Georgia/.
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Florida. BOEM issued a lease to Florida Atlantic University in 2014 for marine hydrokinetic technology testing to evaluate the use of turbines powered by ocean currents. For more information, visit http://www.boem.gov/Florida/.
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Lessee Guidelines for Pre-Construction Surveys
BOEM has developed a number of national and regional guidelines for renewable energy activities on the OCS. These informal documents are intended to provide lessees, operators and developers with additional information or interpretation of a regulation. BOEM believes the guidelines listed below would be of interest to the commercial fishing industry. A full list of survey guidelines can be found at http://www.boem.gov/Survey-Guidelines/.
Workshops and Meetings
BOEM strives to engage fishermen through meetings and workshops regarding renewable energy project development and environmental studies at the programmatic and project-specific level. Below are the results of workshops and meetings that BOEM has held specific to the renewable energy program and fishing. In addition to meetings and workshops convened by BOEM, we also participate is meetings and workshops hosted by other groups including fishery management council meetings and state-level fishery advisory groups.
Fishing/Offshore Wind Mitigation Measures Workshop Webpage (2012-2014)
New York Wind Energy Area Identification Meetings (November 2015)
BOEM-Funded Studies
Annually OREP prepares a Studies Development Plan to cover a three-year planning period. The plan proposed studies for the upcoming fiscal year and for one successive year. These studies are designed to collect the information necessary to meet the needs of the users, including BOEM scientists, rule writers, modelers, and decision makers.
BOEM recognizes that we need to understand the effects of proposed renewable energy development on fish and shellfish. BOEM has also invested in numerous studies to better understand such effects.
Fact Sheets
For More Information
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Office of Renewable Energy Programs
45600 Woodland Road
Sterling, Virginia 20166
703-787-1340
renewable_reporting@boem.gov