Welcome to the SouthCoast Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) Virtual Meeting Room. Your participation is an essential part of BOEM’s environmental review process.
BOEM has prepared a DEIS for the SouthCoast Wind Project. The following documents are available for your viewing:
BOEM held three virtual public meetings on the following dates, recordings available below:
If you require a paper copy of the DEIS or public meeting materials, please contact us at boempublicaffairs@boem.gov or 202-531-0667.
The public comment period ended on April 18, 2023.
What is BOEM's mission?
BOEM is the bureau within the Department of the Interior that oversees the environmentally and economically responsible development of our energy and mineral resources on almost 2.5 billion acres of the nation’s Outer Continental Shelf, or OCS. All our activities are underlain by our robust environmental program, which ensures that we develop and use the best available science in our decision making.
We also consider public input to be a critical component of safe and responsible offshore resource management. We solicit public comments from a host of stakeholders and ocean users, including the fishing community, mariners, and coastal communities, in our environmental reviews and regulatory programs.
Why have meetings during this time?
To the greatest extent possible, we are working to maintain services to the American people and our stakeholders, consistent with evolving guidance provided by the CDC and state and local health authorities. As such, we are planning to hold both virtual and in person public hearings. The public hearings are an opportunity for public involvement and an opportunity to provide comments on the DEIS.
What is the process for finalizing BOEM’s decision on the proposed Project?
Following the comment period, BOEM will analyze all comments received during the DEIS public comment period and prepare a Final EIS.
After the Final EIS is published, the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requires BOEM to wait a minimum of 30 days before issuing a Record of Decision (ROD). The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) may adopt the Final EIS and issue a joint ROD with BOEM or issue a separate ROD. The USACE and NOAA are both Cooperating Agencies on the environmental review of the project.
For BOEM’s decision, the ROD will state whether BOEM intends to approve the SouthCoast Wind Construction and Operations Plan for the proposed project.
How can stakeholders comment on this DEIS?
The public comment period ended on April 18, 2023. You can view submitted comments through the regulations.gov web portal by navigating to www.regulations.gov and searching for Docket No. BOEM-2023-0011.
