The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) plans to issue a notice of availability (NOA) for the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the construction and operations plan (COP) of Vineyard Wind’s 800 MW offshore wind development in Massachusetts.
The NOA will be published in the Federal Register on Dec. 7, opening a 45-day public comment period. The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the proposed action described in the Vineyard Wind COP and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action.
During the comment period, BOEM will also conduct five public meetings. The input received via this process will inform preparation of the final environmental impact statement, says BOEM. Comments on the DEIS should be submitted or postmarked no later than Jan. 21, 2019.
“The Vineyard Wind draft environmental impact statement is another important opportunity for us to hear from our stakeholders,” says BOEM’s acting director, Walter Cruickshank. “Public feedback is a vital part of our process, and we would like to hear from everyone before preparing the final environmental impact statement.”
“Our project has improved significantly over the past six months through substantive public comment and participation in the permitting process,” notes Erich Stephens, chief development officer of Vineyard Wind. “Our team continues to work on improving the proposal wherever possible, in particular with regard to the project’s interaction with the region’s fisheries, and we look forward to receiving additional input and guidance during this stage of the permitting process.”
Public meetings will be held in Hyannis, Narragansett, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket and New Bedford. Information about the public meetings will be posted here.
