Posted on February 18, 2020
The Department of Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has released a revised permitting timeline for the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind project. The timeline indicates the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Vineyard Wind I project will issued in December, over a year later than its previous target of August 2019.
BOEM says it needs to evaluate the impact that offshore wind projects will have on commercial fishing and navigation along the east coast. BOEM aims to publish a supplement in June that will evaluate the projected cumulative impacts of several major offshore wind projects.
Lars Pedersen, CEO of Vineyard Wind, said in response to the delay: “While we need to analyze what a longer permitting timeline will mean for beginning construction, commercial operation in 2022 is no longer expected. We look forward to the clarity that will come with a final EIS so that Vineyard Wind can deliver this project to Massachusetts and kick off the new U.S. offshore energy industry.”
Located over 15 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, the 800MW project will generate energy for over 400,000 homes and businesses, while reducing carbon emissions by over 1.6 million tons per year. The wind farm will consist of an array of wind turbines, spaced at least eight-tenths of a mile apart, that are each capable of generating 9.5MW of power.
Source: coastalnewstoday.com
