In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to deploy 30 GW of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has announced the availability of the final environmental impact statement (EIS) for the proposed SouthCoast wind project. If approved, this project could generate up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power more than 800 000 homes.

“Tribal nations, federal, and state agencies, local communities, ocean users, and key stakeholders have been instrumental in informing BOEM’s detailed environmental review of the proposed SouthCoast wind project,” said BOEM Director, Elizabeth Klein. “Completing this environmental review represents another major milestone in the administration's commitment to achieving clean energy objectives that will benefit local communities.”

The SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC proposal includes up to 147 wind turbine generators, up to five offshore substation platforms located at a maximum of 149 positions, and up to eight offshore export cables potentially making landfall in Brayton Point or Falmouth, Massachusetts. The lease area covers approximately 127 388 acres and is about 26 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nm south of Nantucket, Massachusetts.

During a 60-day public comment period from February – April 2023, BOEM held three virtual public meetings to receive input on the draft EIS from Tribal Nations, local community members, government partners, commercial fishing interests, and other ocean users. BOEM received 182 comments, which helped inform the final EIS.

Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved more than 15 GW of clean energy from 10 offshore wind projects, enough to power nearly 5.25 million homes. It has also held six offshore wind lease auctions, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New Jersey and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Earlier this year, Secretary Haaland announced a schedule of potential additional lease sales through 2028.

The ‘Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC’s Proposed SouthCoast Wind Energy Project Offshore Massachusetts and Rhode Island’ will publish in the Federal Register on 15 November 2024.