Announcements
- Enrollment Opens for Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program
The Vineyard Wind 1 project has launched its Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program to provide fair, equitable compensation to commercial fishermen for economic impacts attributable to the project’s construction, operations, and decommissioning activities. The launch of the program opens a 90-day window, until June 3, 2024, for fishermen to qualify for compensation at www.vw1fisheriescomp.com. More information can be found here.
- New York Governor has announced conditional awards from New York’s fourth offshore wind solicitation for the Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind projects, totaling 1.7 GW
New York Governor Hochul announced the State has conditionally awarded two offshore wind projects from its fourth offshore wind solicitation – a planned 810-MW project, Empire Wind 1 and Sunrise Wind, a planned 924-MW project. The projects will create more than 800 near-term family-sustaining construction jobs and invest $2 billion in near-term enhanced economic development statewide, including developer-committed investments to support disadvantaged communities. More information can be found here.
- BOEM Completes Environmental Analysis for Proposed Wind Project Offshore Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New York
In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, BOEM has completed its environmental review of the proposed New England Wind project offshore Massachusetts. BOEM estimates the proposed project would generate up to 2,600 MW of electricity, enough to power more than 900,000 homes with clean, renewable energy. More information can be found here.
- Vineyard Wind, America’s First Large-Scale Offshore Wind Farm, Delivers Full Power from 5 Turbines to the New England Grid
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Massachusetts’ first offshore wind project, Vineyard Wind 1, delivered power for the project’s first phase to the New England electric grid. The Vineyard Wind 1 project is the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the nation to begin initial operations, with 5 of the 62 planned turbines operating at full capacity and currently generating 68 MW of power, enough to power 30,000 homes in Massachusetts. More information can be found here.
- New York’s First Offshore Wind Farm Completed
South Fork Wind installed the final wind turbine on February 20, 2024. The 132 MW South Fork Wind, located 56 km east of Montauk Point, NY, comprises twelve 11-MW wind turbines installed on monopile foundations. The first turbine was installed in December 2023 and the offshore wind farm delivered its first power to the grid. More information can be found here.
- NOAA Fisheries Finalizes Habitat Area of Particular Concern Offshore of Southern New England
NOAA Fisheries is designating a Habitat Area of Particular Concern (HAPC) in and around offshore wind lease areas in southern New England, including Cox Ledge. The New England Fishery Management Council recommended the HAPC designation due to concerns about the potential adverse impact on Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) from the development of offshore wind energy projects. More information on the HAPC can be found here.
- BOEM and NOAA Announce Final North Atlantic Right Whale and Offshore Wind Strategy
BOEM and NOAA Fisheries released a final joint strategy to protect and promote the recovery of endangered North Atlantic right whales while responsibly developing offshore wind energy. BOEM and NOAA Fisheries are also working with partners to develop a regional passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) network to identify the larger scale movements and distribution of North Atlantic right whales, and other marine mammals. These efforts align with the 2022 interagency memorandum between BOEM and NOAA that will leverage the responsibilities, expertise and relationships of both agencies in support of the Biden-Harris administration’s offshore wind energy goals while protecting biodiversity and promoting cooperative ocean use. More information can be found here.
- New Jersey Retakes Initiative With Third Offshore Wind Solicitation
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities selected two projects to deliver 3.7 GW of offshore wind generation in its third offshore wind solicitation round. EnergyRE and Invenergy’s 2,400 MW Leading Light project and Corio Generation and TotalEnergies’ 1,342 MW Attentive Energy 2 project were awarded contracts. New Jersey now has more than 5.2 GW contracted, marking substantial progress toward its 11 GW by 2040 goal. More information can be found here.
- Call for Proposals & Abstracts: State of Science 2024
Proposals for symposia and slide meetings, and abstracts for oral and poster presentations are now being accepted for the State of Science 2024 workshop taking place on July 16-19, 2024. Submissions are accepted until January 26, 11:59 p.m. ET. More information can be found here.
- Governor Hochul announces largest state investment in renewable energy in U.S. history, completing one of the actions in the State’s 10-Point Action Plan
Governor Hochul announced the release of the 10-Point Action Plan to expand and support the growing large-scale renewable energy industry in New York, reaffirming the State’s commitment to achieving the Climate Act goals. This procurement represents a significant milestone with the conditionally awarded projects including three new offshore wind projects and 22 large-scale, land-based renewable energy projects totaling 6.4 gigawatts – enough to power 2.6 million homes in New York. The three new offshore wind projects will result in 4,032 megawatts of clean energy, enough to power 2 million homes. The 10-Point Action Plan outlines a comprehensive set of actions being taken to lay the foundation for a sustainable future for all New Yorkers through the expansion of the State’s growing clean energy economy and renewable energy sector.
- Save the Date: State of the Science 2024 Taking an Ecosystem Approach Integrating Offshore Wind, Wildlife, and Fisheries
On behalf of the Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG), the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) is pleased to announce that the next State of the Science Workshop on Offshore Wind Energy, Wildlife, and Fisheries will be held July 16-19, 2024 on Long Island.
- NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Implement the Prohibition of Commercial Fishing in the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument
NOAA Fisheries seeks comments on defining the boundary coordinates of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument area and reflecting the prohibition on commercial fishing in the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act regulations. Click here for more information. The Proposed Rule can be found here.
- Release: Recommendations for Regional Environmental Research
An expert committee of the New York State Offshore Wind Environmental Technical Working Group (E-TWG) has released guidance for conducting regional environmental research and monitoring efforts in relation to offshore wind energy development. These recommendations are intended to support environmental research in the U.S. Atlantic, but have broad applicability to research efforts in all regions of offshore wind development. The guidance was developed with extensive stakeholder feedback. Recommendations can be found here.
- Surface and subsurface oceanographic features drive forage fish distributions and aggregations: Implications for prey availability to top predators in the US Northeast Shelf ecosystem
Forage fishes are a critical food web link in marine ecosystems, aggregating in a hierarchical patch structure over multiple spatial and temporal scales. Existing survey and analysis methods are often imperfect for studying forage fishes at scales appropriate to foraging predators, making it difficult to quantify predator–prey interactions. In this study, Bayesian joint species distribution models were applied to bottom trawl survey data to assess species- and community-level forage fish distribution patterns across the US Northeast Continental Shelf (NES) ecosystem. More information on this study can be found here.
- Technical Guidance for Offshore Wind Energy Projects in the Greater Atlantic Region
A Technical Guidance has been developed to help agencies with their analysis of the effects of proposed offshore wind projects in the Greater Atlantic Region. This information aids in BOEMs decisions regarding the impacts of offshore wind energy development and operations on endangered or threatened species, marine mammals, fisheries, marine and estuarine habitats, and fishing communities.
- NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Technical Assistance on Protected Species Best Management Practices and Risk Reduction Measures for Fisheries Surveys and Monitoring Activities to Support Offshore Wind Energy Projects Development
This technical document provides information and recommendations to offshore wind energy lessees/project proponents and other stakeholders for consideration when designing and implementing surveys, monitoring, or research activities targeting fish species managed by the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).
- NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Region Permitting Considerations for Fisheries Surveys and Monitoring Activities to Support Offshore Wind Energy Development
Information for offshore wind energy lesees/project proponents and other stakeholders is provided in this document regarding applicable permitting considerations for surveys, monitoring, or research activities targeting fish species managed by the NOAA Fisheries Service’s Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office (GARFO).
- Biden-Harris Administration Announces $2.6 Billion Framework Through Investing in America Agenda to Protect Coastal Communities and Restore Marine Resources
The U.S. Department of Commerce unveiled a $2.6 billion framework to invest in coastal climate resilience through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. As part of the President’s Investing in America Agenda, this initiative will support communities and people on the frontlines of climate change, dedicating nearly $400 million specifically for Tribal priorities and benefiting coastal and Great Lakes communities nationwide with an emphasis on environmental justice. Additional investments from the Inflation Reduction Act will improve weather and climate data and services, support the Biden-Harris Administration’s America the Beautiful conservation initiative, and strengthen NOAA’s fleet of research airplanes and ships that are used to study and collect data about the ocean and atmosphere.
- Science Priorities for Offshore Wind and Fisheries Research in the Northeast U.S. Continental Shelf Ecosystem: Perspectives from Scientists at the National Marine Fisheries Service
Offshore wind development (OWD) is set to expand rapidly in the United States as a component of the nation’s effort to combat climate change. Offshore wind development in the United States is slated to begin in the Greater Atlantic region, where it is expected to interact with ocean ecology, human dimensions, fisheries data collections, and fisheries management. Understanding these interactions is key to ensuring the coexistence of offshore wind energy with sustainable fisheries and a healthy marine ecosystem. To view the full publication, click here.
- Fisheries and Offshore Wind Interactions: Synthesis of Science
There is a need to synthesize current and past scientific research that has examined the interactions between OSW, fisheries, and the marine ecosystems due to the rapid pace and broad scope of offshore wind development. NOAA Fisheries and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have partnered with the Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) to identify the topics critical for consideration in relation to offshore wind. The Synthesis of Science report discussing these topics can be found here.
- Potential Repercussions of Offshore Wind Energy Development in the Northeast United States for the Atlantic Surfclam Survey and Population Assessment
The Atlantic surfclam is among the most exposed to offshore wind development impacts due to the overlap of fishing grounds with wind energy lease areas, the hydraulic dredges used by the fishing vessels, and the location of vessel home ports relative to fishing grounds. The development of offshore wind turbines could limit or prevent vessel access, safety requirements, and assessment survey protocols during the Atlantic surfclam federal assessment survey. The impact of excluding the federal assessment survey from wind energy lease areas on the Atlantic surfclam population biomass assessment was investigated in the recently published paper found here.
- BOEM Announces Initial Members of the Committee for Offshore Wind Energy and Fisheries
BOEM has identified members of a new standing committee on offshore wind energy and fisheries, a committee intended to improve its engagement and communication with the fishing community on offshore wind energy activities.
- Nine Atlantic Coast States Release Request for Information to Inform Establishment of a Regional Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Fund Administrator
In support of sustaining a vibrant fishing community that can coexist and thrive alongside offshore wind energy development, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, and Virginia have released a Request for Information (RFI) aimed at receiving input from impacted members of the fishing industry, offshore wind developers, corporate and financial management entities, as well as interested members of the public, to inform efforts to establish a regional fisheries compensatory mitigation fund administrator. This regional fund administrator would provide financial compensation for economic loss from offshore wind development off the Atlantic Coast.
- Environmental and Fisheries Research to Support Offshore Wind Development
NYSERDA is seeking independent research through the Program Opportunity Notice (PON). This research will help NYSERDA achieve responsible and cost-effective offshore wind development as it advances New York State’s nation-leading goal – mandated by The Climate Act – to generate 9,000 megawatts of offshore wind by 2035. A better understanding of potential interactions with the environment and fisheries will support responsible development, increase awareness of stakeholder concerns, and help NYSERDA identify and reduce risks before accelerating offshore wind project development.
- BOEM and NOAA Announce Joint Strategy on Fisheries Surveys
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries are announcing a joint strategy to address the potential impacts of offshore wind energy development on NOAA Fisheries’ scientific surveys. The Federal Survey Mitigation Strategy underscores the agencies’ shared commitment to the Biden-Harris Administration’s clean energy goals of responsibly advancing offshore wind energy production while protecting biodiversity and promoting ocean co-use. More information on this joint strategy and its goals can be found here.
- Sampling high biomass but rare benthic animals: Methods for surveying commercial clam stocks using a hydraulic dredge
Atlantic surfclams and ocean quahogs are large-bodied clams that inhabit the continental shelf of the MidAtlantic. Their abundance is not dominant in the benthic community, and they have a patchy distribution. Sampling and survey strategies need to be carefully tailored to clams to prevent undersampling or possible bias in surveys. More information on this topic can be found here.
- BOEM Releases Central Atlantic Draft Wind Energy Areas
BOEM released eight draft Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Central Atlantic that will cover 1.7 million acres offshore North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. A map of the region can be found here. A 30-day comment period was initiated on February 16, 2022 and will end on December 16, 2022. More information on this draft can be found here.
- RWSC Final 2022 Subcommittee Meetings
The Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC) will host the final subcommittee meetings for 2022 over the next few weeks. Information on RWSC can be found here. The meetings will be focusing on reviewing draft Science Plan content. All meetings are open to the public and recorded:
- Sea Turtle Subcommittee, November 15, 10-12pm ET
- Bird and Bat Subcommittee, November 29, 10-12pm ET
- Marine Mammal Subcommittee, November 30, 9:30-11:30am ET
- Habitat and Ecosystem Subcommittee, December 1, 1-3pm ET
- Empire Wind DEIS Released
BOEM announced the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Empire Wind. This Project is a 2,076 MW offshore wind project that could power over 700,000 homes in New York. A 60-day comment period began on November 13, 2022 and will include three public meetings: Wednesday December 7 at 5 pm, Tuesday December 13 at 5 pm, and Thursday December 15 at 1 pm. This comment period ends on January 17, 2023. More information on the DEIS can be found here.
- Ecological Concrete Scour Protection For Offshore Wind Deployed – A HOLCIM US & Econcrete Joint Project
In coordination with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, Holcim US and ECOcrete have successfully deployed the Droplock Ecological Scour Protection 12 miles off the shore of Long Island, NY. This project provides ecological scour protection to offshore wind projects using a novel concrete unit that requires 30% less material, minimizes native habitat degradation, and supports ecological uplift in offshore wind projects. More information on the project can be found here.
June 24, 2022
On June 24, 2022, BOEM published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Ocean Wind 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Ocean Wind, LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore New Jersey. The NOA initiates a 45-day public comment period that ends August 8th, 2022 at 11:59 pm.
For more information regarding the virtual public hearing and the dates it will be held, refer here.
Reducing or Avoiding Impacts of Offshore Wind Energy on Fisheries
June 24, 2022
In July, BOEM will hold four public meetings in consultation with NFMS and affected coastal states to discuss draft guidance for ways to mitigate impacts from offshore wind projects on commercial and recreational fisheries and fishing.
Dates and meeting information can be found here.
June 23, 2022
BOEM has standardized its process for identifying alternatives in its draft Evironemtnal Impact Statements (EISs) for all Offshore Wind Construction and Operations Plans (COPs) received from lessees.
More information on BOEM’s standardization process for the finalized document can be found here. The finalized document can be found on BOEM’s website here.