On Feb. 13, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management OEM announced the availability of a draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed SouthCoast Wind Energy (formerly Mayflower Wind) project offshore Massachusetts.
The DEIS was posted online and on Feb. 17, BOEM published the Notice of Availability in the Federal Register, initiating the formal start of a 45-day public comment period, originally scheduled to end Apr. 3.
This comment period has now been extended by 15 calendar days. BOEM is extending the comment period based on requests from the public. BOEM will continue to receive public comments on the DEIS through 11:59 p.m. (eastern time) on Apr. 18.
BOEM’s DEIS for the proposed SouthCoast Wind project analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed project as described in the SouthCoast Wind construction and operations plan (COP) and the alternatives to the proposed plan for constructing and operating a wind energy facility offshore Massachusetts.
SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC, a joint venture of Shell New Energies US LLC and Ocean Winds North America, is developing an offshore wind lease area with the potential to supply 2,400 megawatts of low-cost clean energy to electricity customers in New England, the company said.
The lease area is located over 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket. The project will occupy the 199-square mile (or over 127,000acrese) lease area, which was awarded through a competitive auction held by BOEM.
For more information, including instructions for commenting, go to: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/southcoast-wind-formerly-mayflower-wind.
