With newest environmental review, six commercial projects representing up to 11 GW now set for final approval
BALTIMORE — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today released a draft environmental review of a major offshore wind project off the Massachusetts coast, setting up final approval of the 2.6 GW New England Wind project. A Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) is one of the final stages of offshore wind project review, and helps the federal government determine whether final approval should be granted or if modifications are required. As of today, New England Wind joins five other offshore wind projects – Ocean Wind, Empire Wind, Revolution Wind, Sunrise Wind, and Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind – Commercial – awaiting their final environmental impact reviews. This group represents up to 11 GW of offshore wind power generation, and their anticipated approval in 2023 would create a substantial pipeline of projects entering into manufacturing and construction phases.
The following statement can be attributed to Liz Burdock, founder and CEO of Oceantic Network:
“For two years, the Biden-Harris administration has worked diligently to advance the U.S. offshore wind industry through executive action and meticulous permitting review, and that hard work is set to pay off in the next year. U.S. offshore wind was already primed for an historic year in 2023 with two commercial projects expected to continue construction – now, including New England Wind, BOEM could approve six more projects for construction, representing up to 11 GW in offshore wind capacity and enough to power nearly 4 million homes. An approved project pipeline of this size instantly makes the U.S. a top global market and will go a long way to supporting existing and driving new supply chain investments domestically.
BOEM’s efforts should be celebrated, and the agency must continue this pace to reach the administration’s goals of holding seven auctions and reviewing 16 project plans by 2025. BOEM is clearly finding its stride but will need additional resources from Congress and partnership from industry to fulfill its pledge, ensure development of a robust domestic supply chain, and create tens of thousands of well-paying jobs.”
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Network, contact Sam Salustro at [email protected] or 202-709-9793.
Oceantic Network is the largest non-profit organization dedicated solely to building a robust offshore wind supply chain and expanding adoption of offshore wind energy. It advances the industry through collaboration, education, and innovation, including the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF), the leading offshore wind conference in North America, and the OSW Market Dashboard. Learn more at Oceantic.org.
