Saving Seafood

BOEM analysis considers fish habitat, visual mitigation for Atlantic Shores wind project

May 16, 2023 — The Atlantic Shores offshore wind project would build up to 200 turbines, rated at a maximum 1,510 megawatts, off Long Beach Island, N.J. BOEM graphic.

A draft environmental impact statement for the Atlantic Shores wind project off New Jersey includes alternatives that could reduce the number of wind turbines and cables to reduce their visual impact on coastal communities and impact on fish habitat.

The planned 1,510-megawatt Atlantic Shores array off Atlantic City and Long Beach Island, N.J., would at its closest point be 8.7 nautical miles from shore. The potential visual impact of up to 200 turbines with their rotor tips 1,000 feet above the ocean has brought sustained criticism and legal challenges to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from coastal homeowners and municipal governments worried about the potential effects of wind projects on tourism.

Fishing interests are concerned about environmental effects of building turbines, and operational and safety difficulties they could present  – particularly for scallop and surf clam vessels that historically fish off New Jersey. The BOEM draft document announced Monday includes options for moving some turbine and cable locations to avoid fish habitat, and create a buffer setback between the Atlantic Shores lease and the neighboring Ocean Wind 1 project Atlantic City.

The DEIS document states that the National Marine Fisheries Service “identified two areas of concern (AOCs) within the Lease Area that have pronounced bottom features and produce habitat value. AOC 1 is part of a designated recreational fishing area called ‘Lobster Hole.’ AOC 2 is part of a sand ridge (ridge and trough) complex.”

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

BOEM analysis considers fish habitat, visual mitigation for Atlantic Shores wind project

May 15, 2023 — A draft environmental impact statement for the Atlantic Shores wind project off New Jersey includes alternatives that could reduce the number of wind turbines and cables to reduce their visual impact on coastal communities and impact on fish habitat.

The planned 1,510-megawatt Atlantic Shores array off Atlantic City and Long Beach Island, N.J., would at its closest point be 8.7 nautical miles from shore. The potential visual impact of up to 200 turbines with their rotor tips 1,000 feet above the ocean has brought sustained criticism and legal challenges to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management from coastal homeowners and municipal governments worried about the potential effects of wind projects on tourism.

Fishing interests are concerned about environmental effects of building turbines, and operational and safety difficulties they could present  – particularly for scallop and surf clam vessels that historically fish off New Jersey. The BOEM draft document announced Monday includes options for moving some turbine and cable locations to avoid fish habitat, and create a buffer setback between the Atlantic Shores lease and the neighboring Ocean Wind 1 project Atlantic City.

Read the full article at WorkBoat

A Welcome Supreme Court Review of Chevron Deference

May 3, 2023 — The following was released by BOEM:

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced that it intends to conduct a review of potential environmental impacts associated with the possible issuance of an offshore wind energy research lease in the Gulf of Maine. The lease was requested by the State of Maine for the purpose of researching potential floating offshore wind energy development. The research site lies 20 nautical miles off the coast of Maine, roughly southeast of Portland, and if developed would comprise up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

BOEM will publish a Notice of Intent in the Federal Register on stating its intent to prepare an Environmental Assessment (EA) for the wind energy research lease, which will initiate a 30-day public comment period that will end at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Jun. 5, 2023. During this period, BOEM seeks public input regarding important environmental issues and the identification of reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the EA. Read more…

Panel of scientists to study impact of wind turbines on endangered right whales

April 27, 2023 — A committee of scientists and experts convened this week to begin a monthslong process of independently evaluating potential impacts of offshore wind development on the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and its primary food source.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), the lead regulator on offshore wind, called for an independent review by a committee under the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine.

The committee has a technical name, “Evaluation of Hydrodynamic Modeling and Implications for Offshore Wind Development: Nantucket Shoals,” but in simpler terms, it will evaluate the scientific models BOEM uses to inform assessments of wind turbine impacts.

According to an agency spokesperson, BOEM recognized the need for an independent evaluation of existing science on potential impacts of wind development as it relates to right whales and availability of the tiny crustaceans they feed on, also called zooplankton.

The Light first reported an inter-agency letter from a NOAA Fisheries scientist to BOEM last year that expressed concern on impacts of wind development on right whales. The scientist recommended restricting turbines in some parts of the Massachusetts-Rhode Island wind energy area, particularly those abutting the Nantucket shoals — a region that has become a critical area of foraging, breeding and calf rearing for right whales during much of the year.

Read the full story at the New Bedford Light

U.S. identifies Gulf of Maine area for offshore wind development

April 26, 2023 — President Joe Biden’s administration on Tuesday said it had finalized an area of nearly 10 million acres in the Gulf of Maine for potential offshore wind development, a major step toward expanding the industry into northern New England.

The announcement was the latest milestone in the government’s plan to put wind turbines along every U.S. coastline to help displace fossil fuel for power generation and fight climate change

In a statement, the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management said it would kick off a 45-day period for public comment on the area, which sits off the coasts of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

The final “call area” was identified after soliciting feedback from tribes, states, the Department of Defense, fishing and shipping industries and the public. It is nearly 30% smaller than the area BOEM identified in an initial “Request for Interest” last year.

Read the full article at Reuters

BOEM Advances Offshore Wind Leasing Process in the Gulf of Maine

April 25, 2023 — The following was released by BOEM:

As part of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced the publication of its Gulf of Maine Call for Information and Nominations (Call). This Call invites public comment on, and assesses interest in, possible commercial wind energy development in areas offshore Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine.

This represents an early step in the commercial planning and leasing process, and the first required by BOEM regulations.

“BOEM is committed to transparent, inclusive and data-driven processes, and public input is essential to helping us determine areas that may be suitable for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Maine,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We are still early in the planning and leasing process, and we look forward to the multiple future opportunities for engagement.”

BOEM will publish the Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Gulf of Maine Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) – Call for Information and Nominations in the Federal Register on Apr. 26, 2023, which will initiate a 45-day public comment period. BOEM will accept nominations and comments through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Jun. 12, 2023.

After the public comment period closes, BOEM will review and analyze commercial nominations and public comments submitted in response to the Call. BOEM will also consider information from government and Tribal consultations and the Gulf of Maine Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to further evaluate the appropriateness of the Call Area for offshore wind energy development.

“The feedback that we have received prior to this announcement has been extremely valuable in informing the process and understanding the unique dynamics that the Gulf of Maine presents,” said BOEM Project Coordinator Zach Jylkka. “The success of BOEM’s commercial leasing process hinges upon continued public input, and we are fortunate that many passionate and knowledgeable individuals and organizations are willing to share their experiences and expertise to help shape these important outcomes.”

In August 2022, the Department of the Interior announced a “Request for Interest” (RFI) to gauge whether commercial interest existed in obtaining wind energy leases within an area in the Gulf of Maine comprising about 13.7 million acres.

BOEM worked collaboratively with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) to conduct a spatial analysis of the RFI area. This analysis, in combination with public comments on the RFI, led to the creation of a draft Call Area. BOEM hosted a series of information exchanges on the draft Call Area from January-February 2023 to get feedback from Tribes, states, existing ocean users, and the general public. The final Call Area, published today, reduces the RFI area to 9.8 million acres, a nearly 30 percent reduction.

In the final Call Area, BOEM removed approximately 160,000 acres from future consideration to avoid Georges Bank. The Call Area remains broad to provide flexibility to minimize conflicts with other uses. BOEM will use a powerful spatial analytical tool, called an ecosystem-wide suitability model, developed in partnership with NCCOS, to help identify where conflicts may exist and inform decisions regarding the most appropriate Wind Energy Areas to meet the states’ and Biden-Harris administration’s offshore renewable energy goals.

Through the information exchanges on the draft Call Area, BOEM has identified four areas that BOEM specifically seeks public input on during this next phase of review, including: Lobster Management Area I, Platts Bank, Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan Restricted Areas, and Georges Bank (the immediately adjacent area along the southern boundary of the Call Area). This is not an exhaustive list; however, it represents the areas that were most commented on in the most recent public engagement. BOEM looks forward to receiving more information during the Call comment period regarding the suitability of these areas for potential renewable energy development.

Public Engagement

BOEM aims to address and better understand any concerns from the public and encourages input and feedback to help inform its decision-making. Throughout the Gulf of Maine planning process for possible commercial leasing, there will be more opportunities for public input.

BOEM will host its third Gulf of Maine Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meeting May 10-11, 2023, in Bangor, Maine.

The purpose of the meeting is to update Task Force members and the public on BOEM’s commercial and research offshore wind energy planning activities and to discuss next steps for the Gulf of Maine.

The public is encouraged to attend this meeting.

Additional information can be found on BOEM’s webpage: https://www.boem.gov/Gulf-of-Maine/

Biden admin is rushing to industrialize US oceans to stop climate change: ‘Environmental wrecking ball’

April 25, 2023 — The Biden administration is pushing full steam ahead to massively expand offshore wind development across millions of acres of federal waters, actions that critics warn would have dire ecological and economic impacts.

Days after taking office, President Biden issued an executive action ordering his administration to expand opportunities for the offshore wind industry as part of his aggressive climate agenda to curb greenhouse gas emissions and stop global warming. Months later, he outlined goals to deploy 30 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, the most ambitious goal of its kind worldwide.

“Two years ago, President Biden issued a bold challenge to move America towards a clean energy future,” Deb Haaland, the secretary of the Department of the Interior (DOI), said earlier this month. “The Interior Department answered that call and is moving rapidly to create a robust and sustainable clean energy economy with good-paying union jobs.”

In May 2021, the DOI’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) approved the 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind project 12 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, marking the first ever large-scale offshore wind approval. Then, in November 2021, the agency approved the 130-megawatt Southfork Wind project off the coast of Long Island, New York, the second commercial-scale offshore project.

Read the full article at Fox News

In the Race for Clean Energy, Is Offshore Wind Harming the Nation’s Fisheries?

April 25, 2023 — Tom Hafer remembers the first time the fish stopped biting. It was a little over 20 years ago when fiber optic cables were being installed in waters off the coast of central California, where he fishes commercially for spot prawns and rockfish. The fishing was disrupted for “miles and miles,” says Hafer, who has been fishing since the 1970s.

Now, he and many other fishermen are bracing themselves for what could be a much larger threat looming in the water. Offshore wind farms, which are ramping up in the United States, could come at a tremendous cost to fishermen as they are being sited in prime fishing areas. And the process of erecting wind farms and their long-term presence in the water could alter aquatic ecosystems, potentially driving away fish and marine mammals.

Some fishing communities also believe the physical infrastructure of offshore wind farms may pose a danger to fishing vessels and gear and the people who earn a livelihood from the sea.

There is little science to assuage those concerns. The floating wind farms being proposed along the West Coast rely on technologies that haven’t yet been commercially deployed. And the federal agency tasked with siting new farms—the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)—is new to the task.

Conceived in response to the BP oil spill in 2010, BOEM’s original charge was to oversee offshore oil in lieu of the former Minerals Management Service. BOEM has little experience with offshore wind and, so far, has been criticized for lack of thoroughness in vetting potential fishery conflicts.

Conflicts have also surfaced between BOEM and the nation’s top fisheries agency, NOAA Fisheries, as NOAA advises the agency in addressing concerns about fish health in an electrified sea. Recent reporting by ProPublica and The New Bedford Light has also raised concerns about relationships between the offshore wind industry and at least 90 of its regulators, including the Deputy Secretary of the Department of the Interior.

Offshore wind is a relatively new phenomenon in U.S. waters—the first commercial wind farm at sea was completed in 2016. That facility, Block Island Wind Farm, consists of five turbines off the coast of Rhode Island and is capable of producing 29 megawatts of power. That’s more than enough to supply all 17,000 homes on nearby Block Island, according to Ørsted, the Danish power company that acquired the installation in 2018.

But Block Island is a small fry compared to what’s coming, and that’s what has some critics worried. In 2021, the Biden administration set forth a lofty goal: By the end of the decade, it wants offshore wind farms to be producing 30 gigawatts of renewable energy in U.S. waters. Right now, Block Island and the two-turbine Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind pilot project are the only two commercial-scale facilities that have been completed, and together they’re capable of generating just 0.042 gigawatts, less than 1 percent of the Biden administration’s goal.

Read the full article at Civil Eats

Top officials warned Biden admin about dangers wind energy projects pose to fishing industry, letter shows

April 25, 2023 — The executive directors of three federally established fishery councils along the East Coast expressed concern last year about the threats posed by offshore wind energy projects.

In an Aug. 22 letter to former Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Director Amanda Lefton, the three officials — who respectively lead the New England, Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic Fishery Management Councils — expressed concern about current processes for approving offshore wind development. They also made a series of recommendations to help the federal government mitigate impacts on fisheries.

“As we have stated in several past comment letters to BOEM, we are very concerned about the cumulative impacts of multiple wind energy projects on the fisheries we manage,” they stated in the letter. “The multiple wind energy projects planned along the east coast will have cumulative and compounding effects on our fisheries.”

“The synergistic effects of multiple projects may be more than additive and this may not be sufficiently identified in project-specific documents; therefore, losses may be undercompensated by taking a project-by-project approach,” they continued.

Read the full article at Fox News