The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is opening a 30-day public comment period, ending on March 4, inviting public comment on the Draft EA for additional site assessment plan activities in the Beacon Wind lease area offshore Massachusetts.
The Draft EA analyzes the potential environmental impacts of proposed site assessment activities, consisting of 35 deployments and removals of a single suction bucket foundation at 26 locations within the lease area. The bureau says it is doing so to gather information supporting the engineering design of wind turbine and offshore substation foundations to potentially be installed within the lease area for a future Beacon Wind project.
Two virtual public meetings for the Draft EA are proposed during the comment period, on Feb. 23 and Feb. 28.
The bureau seeks comments on resources and issues, impact-producing factors and potential mitigating measures analyzed in the Draft EA. The public comments will help inform BOEM’s decision on whether to approve the site assessment plan amendment.
Following the comment period, the bureau will review the comments received to include information for consideration in the Beacon Wind Final EA.
