Update On Cape Wind

As one of our valued stakeholders interested in offshore renewable energy development, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) would like to notify you of some recent milestones regarding the Cape Wind Energy Project.

• On May 20, 2014, Cape Wind Associates (CWA) submitted a Facility Design Report (FDR) and a Fabrication and Installation Report (FIR) for BOEM's review. The FDR provides specific details on the design of the wind power facility, and the FIR describes how the facility's components will be fabricated and installed.
• On July 25, 2014, CWA submitted revisions to its Construction and Operations Plan (COP), which BOEM originally approved in April 2011. These revisions can be found here.
• BOEM reviewed the proposed revisions to the COP and prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) that considered (1) whether the revisions to the COP are substantial changes in the proposed action that are relevant to environmental concerns, and (2) whether there are significant new circumstances or information, including activity and equipment details provided in the FIR and FDR, relevant to environmental concerns and bearing on the proposed action or its impacts. BOEM used the EA to determine whether it could make a Finding of No New Significant Impact (FONNSI) or whether preparing a Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement would be necessary before issuing a decision on the COP revisions.
• On September 8, 2014, BOEM issued a FONNSI, which concluded that there were no new significant impacts associated with the proposed revisions to the COP that were not already considered in the 2010 Final Environmental Impact Statement. BOEM then approved the revisions to the COP with modifications on September 9, 2014, and determined that it has no objections to the FDR or FIR. BOEM's letter of approval can be found here.

Additional information related to the Cape Wind Energy Project is located on BOEM's website by clicking here, or you may contact me at your convenience.