Posted on November 13, 2024
The project could potentially generate 2.4GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power 800,000 homes.
The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has published its final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the SouthCoast Wind Project.
The move aligns with the US administration’s target of deploying 30GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030.
If approved, the project could generate 2.4GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power 800,000 homes.
The SouthCoast Wind Energy proposal outlines the installation of up to 147 wind turbine generators, up to five offshore substation platforms across a maximum of 149 positions, and as many as eight offshore export cables.
These cables may make landfall at Brayton Point or Falmouth in Massachusetts.
Spanning approximately 127,388 acres, the lease area is situated approximately 26nm south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20nm from Nantucket.
During the public comment period from February to April 2023, BOEM conducted three virtual public meetings to gather feedback on the draft EIS.
Contributions came from indigenous and local communities, government partners, commercial fishing interests, and other stakeholders, the agency said.
The agency received 182 comments, which were instrumental in shaping the final EIS document.
Under the current US administration, the Department of the Interior has given approval to more than 15GW of clean energy from ten offshore wind projects, with the capacity to power close to 5.25 million homes.
Additionally, the department has executed six offshore wind lease auctions, including a record-setting sale off the coasts of New York and New Jersey and the inaugural auctions off the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts.
BOEM director Elizabeth Klein said: “Tribal nations, federal and state agencies, local communities, ocean users, and key stakeholders have been instrumental in informing BOEM’s detailed environmental review of the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project.
“Completing this environmental review represents another major milestone in the administration’s commitment to achieving clean energy objectives that will benefit local communities.”
Last month, BOEM completed its environmental review of six wind lease areas in the New York Bight, potentially enabling 7GW of offshore wind energy.
