On March 30, 2021, BOEM published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Ocean Wind, LLC's Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore New Jersey. The following documents are available for your viewing.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS (BOEM-2021-0024)
- Ocean Wind Construction and Operations Plan and Appendices
The Notice of Intent initiates a 30-day public comment period. During the public comment period, BOEM will be hosting three virtual scoping meetings where you can learn more about the Construction and Operations Plan (COP), ask questions, and provide oral testimony.
BOEM’s scoping process is intended to identify what should be considered in the Ocean Wind COP EIS. Throughout the scoping process, there will be multiple opportunities 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. Virtual scoping meetings were held on April 13, 2021, April 15, 2021 and April 20, 2021. More information is available at https://www.boem.gov/ocean-wind-1.
Background
The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Lands Act requires BOEM to award leases competitively, unless BOEM determines there is no competitive interest. In April 2011, BOEM published the Call for Information and Nominations – Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore New Jersey in the Federal Register for public review. The purpose of the “Call” was to determine if competitive interest existed for the construction of an offshore wind facility offshore New Jersey in addition to requesting information about site conditions, resources, and multiple uses within the area identified within the Federal Register Notice that would be relevant for commercial wind leasing.
Materials relating to the “Call” are below.
- New Jersey Call for Information and Nominations for Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the OCS Offshore New Jersey
- Map Showing the New Jersey Call for Information and Nominations Area
- Map Showing the New Jersey Call for Information and Nominations Area with a NOAA Nautical Chart Background
- New Jersey Call for Information and Nominations Area Boundary Coordinates
- GIS File of the New Jersey Call Area (UTM Zone 18, NAD 83)
The public comment period for the Call closed on June 6, 2011. In response, BOEM received 11 commercial indications of interest to obtain a commercial lease for a wind energy project. BOEM initiated a review of these parties' submissions to assess filing completeness, as well as legal, technical, and financial qualifications to hold an OCS renewable energy commercial lease. BOEM also received a number of comments, which can be viewed by clicking here.
After analyzing new available Automatic Identification System (AIS) data and holding discussions with the United Stated Coast Guard, the New Jersey Renewable Energy Task, and maritime stakeholders BOEM decided that it would be appropriate to remove OCS Blocks Wilmington NJ18– 02 Block 6740 and Block 6790 (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, M, N) and Block 6840 (A) to alleviate navigational safety concerns resulting from vessel transits out of the New York Harbor.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Assessment Report
The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), under an interagency agreement with BOEM, is provided technical assistance to identify and delineate leasing areas for offshore wind energy development within Wind Energy Areas on the Atlantic Coast. In October 2013, NREL submitted a report to BOEM that focuses on the New Jersey Wind Energy Area. To access the report, click here.
Proposed Sale Notice
On July 17, 2014, BOEM announced that the Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 5 Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) would be published in the Federal Register on July 21, 2014. The Notice requested public comments on BOEM’s proposal to auction two leases offshore New Jersey for commercial wind energy development. Information related to the PSN is located below.
- Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 5 Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf Offshore New Jersey – Proposed Sale Notice
- Proposed Commercial Lease OCS-A 0498
- Proposed Commercial Lease OCS-A 0499
- Bidders Financial Form
- Alternate Bidding Form
- Map of the New Jersey Leasing Areas
- Map of the New Jersey Leasing Areas overlaid on Nautical Chart
- GIS Files for the New Jersey Leasing Areas (UTM Zone 18, NAD 83)
Environmental Review
On Feb. 3, 2012, BOEM published in the Federal Register a Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for commercial wind lease issuance and site assessment activities on the Atlantic OCS offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia. Consultations ran concurrently with preparation of the EA and included consultations under the Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act. On July 11, 2012, BOEM issued a “Finding of No Historic Properties Affected for the Issuance of Commercial Leases within the New Jersey Wind Energy Area."
Final Sale Notice
On September 23, 2015, BOEM announced that it published a Final Sale Notice, which stated a commercial lease sale (i.e., auction) would be held November 9, 2015, for the Wind Energy Area (WEA) offshore New Jersey. The auction represents the fifth competitive lease sale for renewable energy on the OCS.
The New Jersey WEA was auctioned as two leases (OCS-A 0498 and OCS-A 0499). Materials related to the Final Sale Notice are below.
- Final Sale Notice
- Map of the New Jersey Lease Areas
- Map of the New Jersey Lease Areas with Nautical Chart
- Commercial Lease OCS-A 0498
- Commercial Lease OCS-A 0499
- Auction System Technical Supplement
- Bidder's Financial Form
- Alternate Bidding Form
- Electronic Payment Instructions
- Response to Comments
- New Jersey Offshore Wind Auction Frequently Asked Questions
The area available for auction is identical to the one announced in the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) published in the Federal Register in July 21, 2014 for a 60-day public comment period. BOEM carefully considered public comments received during this time prior to developing the Final Sale Notice, as discussed in the Response to Comments above.
Commercial Leases
On Nov. 9, 2015, BOEM held a competitive lease sale (i.e., auction) for the Wind Energy Area offshore New Jersey. The auction lasted seven rounds. RES America Developments Inc., which bid $880,715 was the winner of lease area OCS-A 0498, and US Wind Inc., which bid $1,006,240 was the winner of lease OCS-A 0499. A summary of the bidding results can view here.
The commercial wind energy leases were signed by BOEM on February 4, 2016, and went into effect on March 1, 2016. The executed leases are available below.
Lease OCS-A 0498 (Ocean Wind LLC)
On April 14, 2016, BOEM received an application to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0498 to Ocean Wind LLC. BOEM approved the assignment on May 10, 2106. The approved assignment is available through this link: www.boem.gov/Assignment-Approval-Lease-OCS-A-0498/
On February 14, 2017 BOEM received a request to extend the preliminary term for commercial lease OCS-A 0498, from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2018. BOEM approved the request on March 1, 2017.
On September 15, 2017, Ocean Wind LLC submitted a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for commercial wind lease OCS-A 0498 which was subsequently revised on November 10, 2017, January 25, 2018 and February 23, 2018. BOEM is reviewing the SAP and will approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed site assessment activities.
On May 16, 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for Lease OCS-A 0498 (Ocean Wind LLC). The SAP approval allows for the installation of two floating light and detection ranging buoys (FLiDARs) and one metocean/current buoy. For additional information, please find the approved SAP below:
On December 8, 2020, Ocean Wind LLC submitted an application to BOEM to assign a portion of lease #OCS-A 0498 to Orsted North American Inc. BOEM approved the assignment on March 26, 2021. The lease area assigned to Orsted North America Inc. now carries the new lease number #OCS-A 0532. Orsted North America Inc.’s lease is subject to all terms and conditions of the original lease. Please find a copy of the assignment below:
Lease OCS-A 0499 (Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC)
On March 17, 2016 BOEM received a request to extend the preliminary term for commercial lease OCS-A 0499, from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2018. BOEM approved the request on June 10, 2016.
On January 29, 2018 BOEM received a second request to extend the preliminary term for commercial lease OCS-A 0499, from March 1, 2018, to March 1, 2019. BOEM approved the request on February 14, 2018. A Site Assessment Plan (SAP) must be submitted no later than March 1, 2019."
On November 16, 2018 BOEM received an application from U.S. Wind Inc. to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0499 to EDF Renewables Development, Inc. BOEM approved the assignment on December 4, 2018. The approved assignment is available through this link: www.boem.gov/Assignment-Approval-Lease-OCS-A-0499/
On April 29, 2019 BOEM received an application from EDF Renewables Development, Inc. to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0499 to Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC. BOEM approved the assignment on August 13,2019. The approved assignment is available through this link: www.boem.gov/OCS-A-0499/.
On April 8, 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for Lease OCS-A 0499 (Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC). The SAP approval allows for the installation of two floating light and detection ranging buoys (FLiDARs). For additional information, please find the approved SAP below: