BOEM announces environmental review of proposed wind energy project offshore New Jersey

The Atlantic Shores project includes installation of 157 wind turbine generators, 8 offshore substations, a permanent meteorological tower, and two temporary metocean buoys

In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s goal of deploying 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on March 15 announced it will initiate the environmental review of a proposed wind energy project offshore New Jersey, which would deliver clean renewable energy to the region, BOEM said in its press release.

On March 18, BOEM will publish a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submitted by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores). This is the 12th offshore wind energy COP environmental review initiated under the Biden-Harris administration.

At its closest point, the approximately 81,129-acre lease area, OCS-A 0549, known as Atlantic Shores North, is located 8.4 miles from the New Jersey coast and approximately 60 miles from New York. A map of the lease area can be found on BOEM’s website.

The Atlantic Shores’ proposal currently includes installation of up to 157 wind turbine generators, eight offshore substations, one permanent meteorological tower, and two temporary metocean buoys - for a total of up to 168 offshore structures. The COP also proposes two potential export cable corridors that would make landfall at: (1) Sea Girt, New Jersey, and (2) in either the New York City area or near Asbury Park, New Jersey.

Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved the nation's first six commercial scale offshore wind projects, held four offshore wind lease auctions – including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and the first-ever sale offshore the Pacific and Gulf Coasts, initiated environmental review of 10 offshore wind projects, and advanced the process to explore additional Wind Energy Areas in Oregon, Gulf of Maine and Central Atlantic. The Department has also taken steps to evolve its approach to offshore wind to drive towards union-built projects and a domestic based supply chain.  

The public comment period for the NOI will help identify important relevant information that BOEM may consider as part of its environmental review of the Atlantic Shores North project COP. Throughout the scoping process, multiple opportunities exist for the public to help BOEM determine the important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives, and potential mitigating measures that should be analyzed in the EIS. BOEM will review the comments to identify issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the Atlantic Shores North Draft EIS.

During the public comment period, BOEM will hold two virtual and three in-person public meetings on the following dates and times. All times are Eastern.