OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS

The first phase involves planning and analysis to identify the most appropriate sites for renewable energy leasing and development activities. This phase involves federally recognized tribes, other federal agencies, states, local governments, and includes mechanisms for public input. Steps in this phase could include:

• Intergovernmental Task Force
• Request for Information or Call for Information and Nominations
• Area Identification. This can include unsolicited bids.
• Environmental Reviews

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that BOEM issue leases and grants on a competitive basis, unless it determines that there is no competitive interest in the proposed lease or grant. When only one developer has indicated interest in developing a given site, BOEM may issue a lease or grant noncompetitively. If multiple developers express interest in leasing a given site, then BOEM proceeds with a competitive leasing process, which may ultimately result in a lease sale or auction. In either case, there are multiple opportunities for public involvement in the activities in this phase. In practice, all leases issued in the Northeast have been competitive.

• Publish leasing notices
• Conduct auction or negotiate lease terms
• Issue lease(s)

Once a lease or grant is issued, lessees have 12 months to submit a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) to BOEM that describes how they will characterize the area (e.g., conduct resource assessments, install meteorological towers or buoys). SAPs pertain to the entire lease area. After site assessment, developers often publicly announce their intent to build a project within the lease area and choose a project name. At this time, they might also begin negotiating with utility companies, states, and other entities to secure support for the project.

• Site characterization
• Site assessment plan

This phase includes the formal submission of a plan to construct a specific offshore wind energy facility within a lease area, the environmental review of the proposed project by BOEM with cooperating and participating agencies (includes federal and state) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the actual construction of a facility. This phase includes several steps that span many years and include public meetings and comment periods (*indicates formal public comment opportunity):

• COP Submitted – developer submits Construction and Operations Plan (COP)
  After BOEM approves the COP, maps showing the proposed footprint and potential layout of the project will become available on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal.
• BOEM NOI – BOEM publishes a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (*)
• BOEM DEIS – BOEM issues a Draft Environmental Impact Statement(*)
• BOEM FEIS – BOEM issues a Final Environmental Impact Statement
• BOEM ROD – BOEM issues a Record of Decision
• Construction
• Operation
• Decommissioning