Saving Seafood

BOEM Releases Final Environmental Statement on First NJ Offshore Wind Farms

May 28, 2024 — The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is continuing its efforts to push forward with the review and approval of U.S. offshore wind projects. In the latest step, they are releasing the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for two New Jersey projects which are critical to the state’s efforts to jump-start its renewable wind energy efforts.

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a joint venture partnership between Shell New Energies US and EDF-RE Offshore Development, submitted a combined Construction and Operations Plan for two wind energy facilities and associated export cables on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore New Jersey. If approved, the two projects could generate about 2,800 megawatts of electricity, enough to power almost one million homes.

“We are encouraged to see forward progress and getting another step closer to delivering New Jersey’s first offshore wind projects,” said Joris Veldhoven, chief executive officer of Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind.

Read the full article at The Associated Press

SLO County Judge Rules Against Local Fishermen

May 26, 2024 — A San Luis Obispo County judge last week rejected a request from Morro Bay and Port San Luis fishermen for a preliminary injunction to stop wind energy companies from surveying the ocean floor.

Signed into law in Oct. 2023, Senate Bill 286 requires the statewide strategy for wind energy to include best practices for addressing impacts to commercial and recreational fisheries. Local fishermen argue wind companies have failed to follow best practices because they have not put protocols in place to protect the fishing industry.

San Luis Obispo Superior Court Judge Craig van Rooyen found the requirements in Senate Bill 286 vague. Specifically, when the protocols and protections need to be in place: before or after work is completed.

Read the full article at Seafoodnews.com

Ørsted ditches deal on $625M vessel for installing turbines

May 26, 2024 — The developer of two offshore wind projects in New England has canceled an agreement to use Dominion Energy’s $625 million wind turbine installation vessel, marking the latest setback for the industry’s supply chain.

Ørsted spokesperson Maddy Urbish confirmed Thursday that the wind developer has secured a replacement vessel to install turbines for the 704-megawatt Revolution Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island and the 924-MW Sunrise Wind farm off the coast of New York.

The company has terminated a charter inked with fanfare in 2021 to use Dominion’s enormous installation ship named Charybdis for the two projects.

Read the full article at E&E News

VIRGINIA: Virginia Beach offshore wind farm construction begins

May 26, 2024 — Dominion Energy announced Wednesday that construction officially started at its planned 2.6-gigawatt Virginia Beach offshore wind farm.

The electric company said the Orion heavy lift vessel installed the first wind turbine foundation, a steel tube called a monopile, about 29 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach. The Orion departed Portsmouth Marine Terminal with the first batch of monopiles last week.

“This is a monumental day for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind team, who have worked tirelessly to keep this project on budget and on schedule to provide our customers with reliable, affordable and increasingly clean energy,” Robert M. Blue, Dominion Energy’s chair, president and CEO, said in the announcement.

The planned 176-turbine, $9.8 billion project is expected to provide enough energy to power up to 660,000 homes once completed by the end of 2026.

Read the full article at The Virginian-Pilot

Concerns rise over offshore wind in Gulf of Maine

May 22, 2024 — Ocean grabbing is a term frequently used in relation to private interests’ takeover of the ocean commons. While the Department of the Interior’s April 30 announcement that it would sell one million acres of leases for offshore wind power development in the Gulf of Maine may have shocked some, it’s been in the pipeline since 2010.

The proposal has moved ahead despite a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) determination of no competitive interest for Gulf of Maine Research Lease Applications as recently as March 2023. Over the past year, BOEM has forged on and developed a wind leasing process for the Gulf of Maine conducted a draft environmental review and analysis of the Gulf of Maine and finalized the wind energy area for the Gulf.

Read the full article at National Fisherman

NEW JERSEY: Wind Farm Opponents to Host Rally in Ocean City

May 22, 2024 — Opponents of offshore wind farms are holding a rally Saturday to continue their fight against what they believe could harm the environment, the tourism industry, commercial fishing operations and marine life.

The second annual “Stop Offshore Wind” rally will begin at 9:30 a.m. in Mark Soifer Park, across from City Hall in Ocean City. The rally will proceed with a march across the Route 52 causeway bridge connecting Ocean City and Somers Point.

Danish wind farm developer Orsted announced on Oct. 31 that it was halting its Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2 projects. Representatives of the company maintained that it wouldn’t be financially feasible to do the projects.

The Ocean Wind 1 project was proposed 15 miles off the coast between Atlantic City and Stone Harbor, passing by Ocean City, Sea Isle City and other beach towns in the process.

In a rally flyer advertising Saturday’s event, opponents cautioned that they must continue to speak up against wind farms with the words, “The fight is not over,” despite Orsted withdrawing from the local project.

Read the full article at OCNJDaily

California congressman urges closer consultation with tribes on offshore wind

May 21, 2024 — A congressman who represents California’s north coast has sent a letter to federal regulators asking that they “urgently place” a senior official in the state to respond to tribal needs as wind power is developed offshore.

U.S. Rep. Jared Huffman sent the letter as the U.S. offshore wind industry begins to take shape and as tribal communities in California and Oregon express frustration with what they say is a lack of consultation on proposals that affect culturally significant waters and land.

“Regional tribal nations are asking for the opportunity to help influence the way in which offshore wind is executed off the shores of the West Coast,” said Heidi Moore-Guynup, director of tribal and government affairs for Blue Lake Rancheria, in an interview Friday. “They’ve been the stewards of the waterways, bays and oceans since time immemorial and want to ensure that the health of such waterways and the species that live among them is preserved.”

Read the full article at the Associated Press

Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensation Program Application Deadline Approaching

May 21, 2024 — The following was released by NOAA Fisheries:

This notice is a reminder to commercial fishermen that the eligibility period to apply for the Vineyard Wind 1 Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program ends on June 3, 2024. Commercial fishing vessel owners/operators must submit an online application prior to the June 3, 2024, deadline, to be considered for eligibility.

Vineyard Wind opened the 90-day eligibility period for the Program in March 2024. The Program was created to provide compensation to commercial fishing vessels/operators for economic losses attributable to construction, operation, and decommissioning activities of Vineyard Wind 1. The program is open to commercial fishing vessel owners/lessees in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island who can demonstrate historical fishing activities in the lease area, OCS-A 0501, which is south of Martha’s Vineyard.

Additional information about the program, including eligibility criteria, is available on the program website along with some FAQs about the application process available here. Specific questions regarding eligibility or the application process for the Vineyard Wind 1 Program should be sent via the Vineyard Wind 1 Fishery Compensation Fund website here.

Glauconite poses challenge to another offshore wind farm project

May 19, 2024 — Another wind project on the East Coast may face challenges with turbine installation due to glauconite, a soil that crushes under high pressure.

Preliminary geotechnical analysis for New England Wind, an Avangrid project, showed a risk of turbine pile foundation refusal in 50 of nearly 130 turbine locations, or about 40%, according to 2023 records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request.

In response to interview requests, an Avangrid spokesperson in a written statement said the company has a “well-informed understanding of the conditions in its lease area, including the presence of glauconite.”

“Avangrid does not expect the presence of glauconite to result in any pile refusals in its New England Wind 1 project, but has considered the potential for pile refusals within its New England Wind 2 development plans,” said Avangrid spokesperson Craig Gilvarg.

Records show BOEM asked Avangrid whether glauconite is a concern in what’s now the New England Wind lease. Avangrid responded in early 2023 that glauconite is present within the expected pile penetration depth and “may present some challenges,” but is “not anticipated to be a significant concern.”

Read the full article at The New Bedford Light