OCEAN CITY – Less than a month remains to submit comments regarding offshore wind leasing areas off the coast of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia.
On July 31, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced three final offshore wind energy areas off the mid-Atlantic coastline. To that end, the federal agency last week published its notice of intent to prepare an environmental assessment (EA) of potential impacts from offshore wind leasing in the wind energy areas.
The public has through Aug. 31 to respond.
“BOEM is seeking public input regarding important environmental issues and the identification of reasonable alternatives that should be considered in the EA,” the notice reads. “The environmental impacts of any proposed wind energy projects will be assessed after a lease is issued and before BOEM decides whether or not to approve any lessee’s project construction and operations plan.”
Last fall, BOEM announced eight draft wind energy areas on the U.S. Central Atlantic outer continental shelf for public review and comment. The draft wind energy areas are offshore of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware, covering approximately 1.7 million acres.