The Long Island-New York City Offshore Wind Collaborative – which includes Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, the Long Island Power Authority and the New York Power Authority – today took the next step to advance its proposed offshore wind project by filing a lease application with the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement (BOEMRE).
The offshore wind farm, proposed for 13 to 17 miles off the coast of the Rockaway Peninsula and Long Island, could have a capacity of up to 350 MW. By applying to secure the lease, the collaborative intends to streamline the process for developers seeking to build the wind farm and reduce unknown variables that will be addressed and become clearer through the lease review process, including potential grants and subsidies, size and location of the turbines, underwater terrain, environmental impacts and ocean depths.
BOEMRE, per federal rules and regulations, will assess the qualifications of the preliminary application, during which time the collaborative may be required to provide additional information. Once BOEMRE determines that the application qualified, it will begin the federal lease acquisition process.
Additional information and studies are still needed, including a comprehensive review pursuant to the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The federal lease acquisition process will initiate the required NEPA review process and include numerous opportunities for public review and input.
Contingent on multiple factors regarding the viability of the proposed site, findings from the NEPA review, more detailed offshore wind and geological assessments, environmental impacts and economic viability, the collaborative intends to conduct a competitive solicitation to select one or more private entities to develop the project.
Since 2009, the collaborative has undertaken visualization simulations, completed an interconnection feasibility study and issued a request for information in which over 30 wind developers and technical firms indicated a substantial interest in developing the wind farm.
