The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments on a draft Environmental Impact Statement in connection with a Construction and Operations Plan submitted by Deepwater South Fork for a proposed wind energy facility in federal waters ~19 miles southeast of Block Island, RI and 35 miles east of Montauk, NY. A cable would connect the wind farm with an existing electric grid in East Hampton, NY.
In announcing the public comment period, BOEM Acting Director Walter Cruickshank noted that the agency is “committed to a permitting process that reduces potential conflicts with other important uses of the ocean, such as fishing, while establishing a strong foundation for wind projects moving forward.”
The EIS analyzes reasonably foreseeable effects from the construction, operation and maintenance, and decommissioning of up to 15 wind turbine generators, an offshore substation, inter-array cables, and installation of an export cable. In conjunction with the public comment period, BOEM will hold virtual public meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 9, Thursday, Feb. 11, and Tuesday, Feb. 16.
