Atlantic Shores North (OCS-A 0549)

What’s New? 

Atlantic Shores North
Atlantic Shores North (OCS-A 0549)

On Mar. 15, 2024, BOEM announced a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind North project (ASOW North) offshore New Jersey. 

The publication of the NOI initiated the public scoping process, opening a 45-day comment period that ended on May 2, 2024. The public scoping process identifies issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the EIS.  

During the public comment period, BOEM hosted two virtual and three in-person scoping meetings where the public could learn more about project, ask questions of BOEM experts, and provide oral comment. 

The five public comment meetings were held on the following dates. All times are Eastern.

Virtual Meetings

  • Wed., Apr. 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m. 
     
  • Tues., Apr. 16, 2024, 5:00 p.m. 

Meeting transcripts will be available soon.

In-Person Meetings

  • Tues., Apr. 9, 2024, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. 
    The Berkeley Hotel, 1401 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, N.J. 07712
     
  • Wed., Apr. 10, 2024, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.  
    NY Grand Oaks Country Club, 200 Huguenot Avenue, Staten Island, N.Y. 10312
     
  • Thurs., Apr. 11, 2024, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m. 
    Dyker Beach Golf Course, 86th Street and 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, N.Y. 11228

For more information about the public meetings, please see the Virtual Meeting Room.

Following the comment period, BOEM will develop a scoping report using the comments received during the public scoping process to help identify important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives for consideration, and potential mitigating measures that should be analyzed in the ASOW North draft EIS. Following the conclusion of the scoping period and development of the scoping report, BOEM, in coordination with our cooperating agencies, will begin the development of the Draft EIS. Once the Draft EIS has been completed, a Notice of Availability will be posted in the Federal Register announcing the public review and comment period.

Prior to April 8, 2021, this lease was part of OCA-A 0499. Detailed information about leasing actions before the partial assignment (i.e., segregation) of the lease can be found on the New Jersey Activities webpage under the Leasing History tab of the New Jersey Activities web page found in New Jersey Activities page.

On April 19, 2022: A segregation of lease OCS-A 0499 was completed, and the northern portion of OCS-A 0499 was retained by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC and given a new lease number (OCS-A 0549). The southern portion retains the original lease number assigned by BOEM: OCS-A 0499. Lease OCS-A 0499 is commonly referred to as ASOW South or Atlantic Shores South and Lease OCS-A 0549 is commonly referred to as ASOW North or Atlantic Shores North for easier reference.

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. 

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, LL) submitted on December 8, 2019.

For additional information, please find the approved SAP and conditions of approval below:

On Apr. 29, 2022, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC (Atlantic Shores) submitted a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to BOEM for the northern portion of the Lease OCS-A 0549. On Mar. 1, 2024, Atlantic Shores submitted an updated COP. This updated version of the COP informs the basis for developing the draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS). 

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Scoping

On Mar. 15, 2024, BOEM announced the availability of its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Atlantic Shores North project offshore New Jersey. The NOI, opened a 45-day public comment period that ended on May 2, 2024. Please See:

During the scoping period, BOEM hosted five public scoping meetings (two virtual and three in-person), where the public could learn more about the COP, ask questions of BOEM staff, and provide oral comment.

Virtual meetings:

  • Wed., Apr. 3, 2024, 1:00 p.m. 
     
  • Tues., Apr. 16, 2024, 5:00 p.m.

Meeting transcripts will be available soon.

During the virtual meetings, BOEM provided an overview presentation, after which members of the public could make formal oral public statements. Attendees were able to ask clarifying questions to BOEM staff during the webinar’s questions and answers (Q&A) session. All comments and questions received during the public meetings will be part of the public record.

In-person meetings:

  • Tues., Apr. 9, 2024, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
    The Berkeley Hotel, 1401 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ 07712
     
  • Wed., Apr. 10, 2024, 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. 
    Grand Oaks Country Club, 200 Huguenot Avenue, Staten Island, NY 10312
     
  • Thurs., Apr. 11, 2024, 5:00 – 9:00 p.m.
    Dyker Beach Golf Course, 86th Street and 7th Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11228

The in-person meetings followed an informal, open-house format. Attendees could visit stations to view project information posters staffed by BOEM subject matter experts. The BOEM team shared information and answered questions in their areas of expertise. Attendees can also view a pre-recorded video presentation providing a project description, details regarding the National Environmental Policy Act (or NEPA) process, and BOEM’s approach to the analysis of the Construction and Operations Plan (or COP). 

At the meetings, members of the public could submitted comments by using a written form and/or providing recorded oral comment by meeting individually with a court reporter for up to five minutes each. 

For more information about the public meetings, please see the Virtual Meeting Room.