The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will initiate the environmental review of the 1510MW Atlantic Shores wind energy project offshore New Jersey, a JV between Shell and EDF Renewables.
On 18 March BOEM will publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind (Atlantic Shores).
This is the 12th offshore wind energy COP environmental review initiated under the Biden-Harris administration.
At its closest point, the approximately 81,129-acre lease area, OCS-A 0549, known as Atlantic Shores North, is located 8.4 miles from the New Jersey coast and approximately 60 miles from New York.
The Atlantic Shores’ proposal currently includes installation of up to 157 wind turbines, eight offshore substations, one permanent meteorological tower, and two temporary metocean buoys – for a total of up to 168 offshore structures.
The COP also proposes two potential export cable corridors that would make landfall at Sea Girt, New Jersey, and in either the New York City area or near Asbury Park, New Jersey.
BOEM director Elizabeth Klein said: “BOEM is continuing to implement the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy agenda, while maintaining a careful approach to prevent, reduce, and address any adverse effects on ocean users and the marine ecosystem.
“As an integral part of our environmental assessments, we will continue to actively solicit feedback from Tribes; federal, state, and local government partners; the fishing community; and the public to help guide our actions.”
The publication of the NOI in the Federal Register on March 18, 2024, will open a 45-day public comment period for the Atlantic Shores North EIS, ending at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 2, 2024.
BOEM proactively extended its standard 30-day comment period to 45 days in order to account for the Vineyard Northeast NOI 45-day public comment period expected later this month.
The public comment period for the NOI will help identify important relevant information that BOEM may consider as part of its environmental review of the Atlantic Shores North project COP.
Throughout the scoping process, multiple opportunities exist for the public to help BOEM determine the important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigating measures that should be analysed in the EIS.
BOEM will then review the comments to identify issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the Atlantic Shores North Draft EIS.