Enviro review kicks off for 2.6-GW wind project off Massachusetts

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is getting ready to start the environmental review of the up to 2.6-GW Vineyard Northeast offshore wind project in waters off Massachusetts.

The Department of Interior (DOI) agency on Monday published a Notice of Intent (NOI) in the Federal Register to prepare the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. The EIS is needed for the approval of the project’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP).

The NOI publication opens a 45-day public comment period during which BOEM will collect feedback regarding the plan in order to identify potential environmental issues and mitigation proposals. Input will be accepted by May 9.

The offshore project is a development of Vineyard Northeast LLC, part of the Vineyard Wind team that is building the US’ first commercial offshore wind farm. The partners aim to install up to 160 turbines in a roughly 132,370-acre (53,568-ha) area called OCS-A 0522 and located 29 miles (57km) from Nantucket at its closest point. The complex will be capable of producing electricity for over 900,000 homes, once in operation.

The Vineyard Northeast project comes with plans for two offshore export cable corridors – one to Connecticut and one to Massachusetts, plus related onshore transmission infrastructure.

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