North American Windpower: BOEM Seeks Input On Environmental Assessment For Massachusetts Offshore Wind Energy Area

BOEM Seeks Input On Environmental Assessment For Massachusetts Offshore Wind Energy Area

by NAW Staff Thursday November 01 2012

The U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) says it is requesting public comment on an environmental assessment (EA) for the wind energy area (WEA) on the Outer Continental Shelf offshore Massachusetts.

The EA considers potential environmental impacts and socioeconomic effects from issuing renewable energy leases and related site characterization activities within the WEA. Site characterization activities include geophysical, geotechnical, archaeological and biological surveys needed to develop specific project proposals on those leases.

The EA also considers environmental impacts associated with potential site-assessment activities, including installation and operation of meteorological towers and buoys, in support of leases that may be issued.

BOEM is requesting public comments on the adequacy of the environmental analysis and of the measures designed to reduce or eliminate potential environmental impacts. BOEM will consider such comments before determining whether to issue a finding of no significant impact, or to conduct additional analyses under the National Environmental Policy Act.

Comments may be submitted here.

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