The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a notice of intent (NOI) to prepare an environmental impact statement for the construction and operations plan submitted by Revolution Wind. If approved by BOEM, Revolution Wind would be allowed to construct and operate an 880-MW wind energy facility offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The publication of the NOI opens a 30-day public comment period. During this time, BOEM will hold three virtual public scoping meetings and accept comments to inform the preparation of the environmental impact statement.
“Public input plays an essential role in identifying and mitigating any potential impacts from proposed energy development activities,” said BOEM Director Amanda Lefton. “BOEM is committed to ensuring that any future offshore wind development is done safely and responsibly, and with the benefit of feedback from critical stakeholders.”
If approved, the Revolution Wind project could directly create 1,200 jobs in Connecticut and Rhode Island as well as thousands of induced jobs.
BOEM’s scoping process is intended to identify what should be considered in the Revolution Wind construction plan. Throughout the scoping process, there will be multiple opportunities to help BOEM determine the important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives and potential mitigating measures that should be analyzed in the EIS.
The Revolution Wind project would be in federal waters approximately 17.4 nautical miles (20 statute miles) south of Rhode Island. The Revolution Wind export cable would make landfall at Quonset Point in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, and would interconnect to the electric transmission system via the existing Davisville Substation, which is owned and operated by National Grid, located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
“Today’s announcement is a perfect example of the kind of timely action we need to develop offshore wind at scale,” said Hannah Read, Environment America Research & Policy Center’s Go Big on Offshore Wind Associate. “As the Biden administration seeks to fulfill its goal of 30 GW of offshore wind developed by 2030, advancing projects currently in the pipeline will be critical to reaching that benchmark. With more than two dozen projects waiting their turn in the permitting process, it’s high time to start moving them through faster so our states can enjoy the benefits of renewable energy.”
Detailed information about the proposed wind energy facility, including how to comment, can be found on BOEM’s website at www.boem.gov/Revolution-Wind.
News item from BOEM
Filed Under: News, Offshore wind, Projects
