The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Maryland Offshore Wind Project. If approved, the project could generate between 1,100 and 2,200 megawatts of clean, renewable energy to the Delmarva Peninsula, which could power up to 770,000 homes.
“Today’s announcement represents another milestone under this administration’s commitment to promoting clean energy production and fighting climate change, while ensuring our efforts are done in a transparent and inclusive manner,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “We value the knowledge we receive from Tribal nations, other government agencies, environmental organizations, local communities, ocean users, and others. Working together, we can reduce conflicts and establish a strong foundation for offshore wind energy projects moving forward.”
An Oct. 6 notice will open a 45-day public comment period that ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Nov. 20, 2023. The input received during the comment period will inform preparation of the final EIS.
BOEM will use the findings of the final EIS to inform its decision on whether to approve the project’s Construction and Operations Plan, and if so, what mitigation measures to require.
President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is growing the American economy from the middle out and bottom up – from rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, to driving more than $500 billion in private sector manufacturing and clean energy investments in the United States, to creating good-paying jobs and building a clean energy economy that will combat the climate crisis and make communities more resilient.
US Wind, Inc. is seeking approval for the construction and operation of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project, which includes three planned phases. Two of those phases, MarWin and Momentum Wind, have offshore renewable energy certificates from the State of Maryland.
US Wind’s proposal for all three phases includes installation of up to 121 turbines, up to four offshore substation platforms, one meteorological tower, and up to four offshore export cable corridors with landfall occurring within Delaware Seashore State Park.
The lease area is about 8.7 nautical miles offshore Maryland and about 9 nm from Sussex County, Delaware.
If approved, the development and construction phases of the project could support up to an estimated 2,679 jobs annually over seven years.
MORE INFO https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/maryland-offshore-wind
