The Business Network for Offshore Wind has filed comments in support of Vineyard’s draft Environmental Impact Statement and called for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to reject an alternative proposal for an extra-wide transit lane.
In its filing the Network voiced support for Vineyard Wind’s proposal to install the project’s turbines in a uniform grid layout with one nautical mile (NM) spacing between turbines in both the east-to-west and north-to-south directions.
The Network also urged BOEM to reject Alternative F, which includes an unnecessary 4 NM-wide additional transit lane that has significant negative impacts.
Business Network director of policy and outreach Brandon Burke said Alternative F would be “detrimental to offshore wind lease areas and projects throughout the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Wind Energy Area”.
He added: “The Joint Developer Agreement Layout utilizes a standard and uniform configuration with 1×1 NM spacing and complies with US Coast Guard navigational safety requirements.”
“The Department of the Interior should act in a manner consistent with the text and spirit of the President’s June 4 Executive Order and utilize all authorities to advance the Vineyard Wind federal permitting process.”
The network added that careful adherence to the February 7 One Federal Decision permitting timeline is of the highest importance.
“By approving the full configuration of the Vineyard Wind project, the Department of the Interior will send an unambiguous message to investors waiting for the green light that the US offshore wind industry is open for business,” says Business Network president & CEO Liz Burdock.
“Investment will flow into shipbuilding, manufacturing facilities, port improvements, and grid infrastructure.”
Last month, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued its Supplement to the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Vineyard Wind offshore wind project, stating that it considers development of approximately 22GW of Atlantic offshore wind capacity as reasonably foreseeable.
“The failure to issue an approval for Vineyard Wind could lead investors to conclude that it is unlikely that US offshore wind projects can complete the needed permitting process. Seeing this continuing uncertainty, firms may elect to continue investing in more certain European markets, or expand Asian investments, rather than invest in the US,” added Burdock.
BOEM is scheduled to issue Vineyard Wind’s final Environmental Impact Statement on November 13, 2020 and a Record of Decision on the project on December 18, 2020.