BOEM Grants Environmental Approval to Southcoast Wind Project

Wedoany.com Report-Nov 13, The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has made available the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed SouthCoast Wind project.

The SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC proposal includes up to 147 wind turbines, up to five offshore substation platforms located at a maximum of 149 positions, and up to eight offshore export cables potentially making landfall in Brayton Point or Falmouth, Massachusetts.

The lease area covers approximately 127,388 acres and is about 26 nautical miles (about 48 kilometres) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nautical miles (approximately 37 kilometres) south of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

During a 60-day public comment period from February to April 2023, BOEM held three virtual public meetings to receive input on the draft EIS from Tribal Nations, local community members, government partners, commercial fishing interests, and other users. BOEM said it received 182 comments, which helped inform the final EIS.

The final EIS will be published in the Federal Register on 15 November.

“Tribal nations, federal and state agencies, local communities, ocean users, and key stakeholders have been instrumental in informing BOEM’s detailed environmental review of the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project”, said Elizabeth Klein, BOEM Director.

Formerly known as Mayflower Wind, SouthCoast Wind was set up by Shell New Energies US LLC and Ocean Winds North America to develop a 2.4 GW offshore wind project after winning a leasing round in December 2018. In March, Shell sold its 50 per cent stake in the development to Ocean Winds.

SouthCoast Wind was awarded power purchase agreements with Massachusetts and Rhode Island to provide a total of 1,287 MW.

Construction, which is expected in late 2025, will commence once it has received all federal, state, and local permits, and pending a final investment decision.