The US administration has approved of the 2076MW Empire Wind 1 & 2 offshore wind complex, a JV between Equinor and BP.
The Record of Decision includes measures aimed at avoiding, minimising, and mitigating the potential impacts that may result from the construction and operation of the project.
Among those measures, Empire Wind LLC has committed to establishing fishery mitigation funds to compensate commercial and for-hire recreational fishers for any losses directly arising from the project.
The lease area is located about 12 nautical miles (nm) south of Long Island, New York, and about 16.9 nm east of Long Branch, New Jersey.
Together these projects would have up to 147 wind turbines that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) estimates could power more than 700,000 homes each year.
The projects would support over 830 jobs each year during the construction phase and about 300 jobs annually during the operations phase, BOEM said.
Secretary of State for the interior Deb Haaland said: “Under President Biden’s leadership, the American offshore wind industry is continuing to expand rapidly – creating good-paying union jobs across the manufacturing, shipbuilding and construction sectors.
“Today’s approval of the sixth offshore wind project adds to the significant progress towards our Administration’s clean energy goals.
“Together with the labor community, industry, Tribes, and partners from coast to coast, we will continue to expand clean energy development in a manner that will benefit communities, strengthen our nation’s energy security, and address climate change.”
Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, added: “The federal Record of Decision is a significant milestone in advancing Equinor and BP’s Empire Wind project to help deliver on state and federal climate ambitions.
“Empire Wind is a defining project for New York and we continue our work to connect with communities and realize the project’s potential of providing reliable renewable power, creating jobs and spurring economic development.
“We thank the Biden-Harris Administration for continuing to move these important projects forward and for sending a clear signal that offshore wind will play an important role in America’s energy transition.”
The Record of Decision will be published in the Federal Register in the coming days and can be found on the BOEM website.