BOEM issues final EIS for New England Wind lease area
The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for its New England Wind lease area.
The New England Wind lease area has the potential to provide approximately 2 Gigawatts to the region, which is enough energy to power nearly 1 million homes and businesses. The FEIS represents a significant permitting milestone that brings development of the area closer to full federal approval. The next steps are a Record of Decision (ROD), anticipated in April 2024, and Construction and Operations Plan (COP) Approval, anticipated in July 2024.
“Avangrid is pleased that the Final Environmental Impact Statement identified the benefits of the project in a clear and consistent manner, marking a pivotal step toward bringing this power to the New England region,” Avangrid CEO Pedro Azagra said. “Just last week, Avangrid announced a landmark accomplishment by powering up the first five Vineyard Wind 1 turbines, and as we continue to build on the 68 Megawatts of power we are currently delivering to Massachusetts, we are pleased to achieve another milestone marking the strong forward momentum of our nation-leading offshore wind portfolio.”
The FEIS finalizes BOEM’s analysis of potential environmental impacts of the project’s construction, operation, and conceptual decommissioning plans. The FEIS included feedback from Tribal Nations, members of local residential and fishing communities, ocean users, and other stakeholders. Stakeholder engagement included three virtual public meetings hosted by BOEM to solicit additional feedback on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement published in late December 2023 and consideration of over 750 comments received from the public.
The milestone was applauded by several groups, including the Sierra Club of Massachusetts, the Environmental League of Massachusetts, and the Northeast Clean Energy Council (NECC).
“This milestone represents a significant step forward in advancing renewable energy development in our region. As a leading advocate for clean energy initiatives, NECEC firmly supports expanding offshore wind projects as a critical component of our transition to a sustainable energy future,” Joe Curtatone, president of the NECC, said. “Offshore wind holds immense potential to diversify our energy sources, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create high-quality jobs in the clean energy sector. By harnessing wind power off our coastlines, we can unlock new economic opportunities, strengthen energy security, and mitigate the impacts of climate change.”
Development of the New England Wind lease area is projected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by nearly 4 million US tons. That is the equivalent of taking approximately 700,000 cars off the road each year during the lifespan of the project.
