The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is hosting its fifth virtual meeting regarding the New York Bight Proposed Sale Notice in an effort to continue gathering important input from commercial and recreational fishing communities.
Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and heightened health and safety concerns presented by the spread of the Delta variant, BOEM has decided to host public meetings virtually. Our highest priority is the health and safety of our stakeholders and our employees who would need to travel to the meetings we are holding around the country. We look forward to hosting in-person meetings in the future.
Public input is critical as we move forward. This meeting will summarize feedback we received from four previous virtual two-hour meetings focusing on primary fisheries that operate in the New York Bight: Atlantic sea scallop fishery, mixed trawl fisheries, surf clam fishery, and recreational fisheries. The meeting will discuss the changes already being considered based on feedback we have received and further explore:
- Engagement requirements in the proposed New York Bight leases
- The number, size, orientation and location of the proposed lease areas and transit corridors
- Prescribed layouts
- Science, monitoring and mitigation
- Next steps
We are encouraged by the level of interest and feedback we have received in each of the virtual meetings to date. To continue to protect the public and our BOEM team, we are encouraging everyone to participate in the meeting virtually.
BOEM will post meeting summaries for the five meetings on its website here: https://www.boem.gov/atlantic-fishing-industry-communication-and-engagement. Please review and provide any additional feedback or information before the end of the comment period on the New York Bight Proposed Sale Notice that closes August 13, 2021. For more information about activities in the New York Bight, please visit BOEM.gov.
The Proposed Sale Notice includes up to eight lease areas in the New York Bight that could be auctioned for commercial wind energy development. The Proposed Sale Notice provides detailed information about potential areas that could be available for leasing, proposed lease provisions and conditions and auction details.