The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments by Monday, Aug. 15 on its intent to prepare a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for future wind energy development in the New York Bight.
The Proposed Action is the adoption of programmatic avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and monitoring measures that may be required as conditions of approval for activities proposed by lessees in construction and operations plans (COPs) for the NY Bight unless COP-specific environmental analysis shows implementation of such measures is not warranted or effective.
BOEM Director Amanda Lefton called the regional review a new approach and “an evolution of our process to help ensure timely decisions that advance offshore wind while protecting the ocean environment and marine life,” saying it “ensures both a comprehensive view of the New York Bight area and improved process efficiencies for future project reviews.”
In conjunction with the comment period, BOEM will hold virtual public meetings on Thursday, July 28, Tuesday, Aug. 2, and Thursday, Aug. 4.
