Image: Revolution Wind
Ørsted and Eversource’s Revolution Wind challenge off the coast of Rhode Island is on monitor to turn out to be the fourth commercial-scale offshore wind challenge on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf to be permitted by the Biden administration.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has accomplished its environmental evaluation of the challenge, which the company estimates might energy greater than 300,000 properties with clear renewable power.
“BOEM used the feedback we received from tribal nations, industry, ocean users, communities, and stakeholders to help inform our decisions throughout the environmental review process and ensure that we are addressing potential impacts,” stated BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “This milestone represents another important step forward in building a new clean energy economy here in the United States.”
Revolution Wind, LLC proposes to assemble an offshore wind power challenge of as much as 100 wind generators, able to producing as much as 880 megawatts, situated roughly 15 nautical miles southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island.
The Notice of Availability for the Final Environmental Impact Statement (ultimate EIS) for Revolution Wind, LLC’s proposed challenge might be revealed within the Federal Register on July 21, 2023. The ultimate EIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the actions specified by Revolution Wind, LLC’s Construction and Operations Plan.
On Sept. 2, 2022, BOEM revealed a draft EIS, initiating a 45-day public remark interval, which closed on Oct. 17, 2022. BOEM additionally held three in-person and two digital public conferences to solicit further suggestions on the draft EIS from tribal nations, area people members, industrial fishing pursuits, and different ocean customers. BOEM obtained a complete of 124 feedback from Federal, tribal, state, and native authorities companies; non-governmental organizations; and the general public in the course of the remark interval.
BOEM thought of these feedback and stakeholders’ suggestions when creating the Final EIS. Specifically in response to feedback obtained, BOEM developed a most well-liked different that features fewer generators to cut back impacts to visible assets and benthic habitat, permits for ocean co-use, and meet the power wants of Rhode Island.
BOEM plans to problem a Record of Decision on whether or not to approve, approve with modification, or disapprove the challenge this summer season.
The Business Network for Offshore Wind says that the challenge now sits one month away from development approval.
“We are excited for Revolution Wind to move past this important milestone in the regulatory process, which will continue building momentum in the U.S. market and begin providing clean, affordable electricity to communities in Connecticut and Rhode Island,” stated Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of the Business Network for Offshore Wind. “Additionally, this action by BOEM secures investments in component production at ProvPort of Providence, Rhode Island, cable manufacturing in South Carolina, and shipbuilding in Texas and Louisiana solidifying the manufacturing base that will be key to the buildout of the U.S. industry. The Network applauds BOEM for its efforts to consistently move projects through the regulatory pipeline while still ensuring offshore wind is developed in an environmentally responsible manner.”
