Biden-Harris Admin Approves 9th Offshore Wind Project

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Inside Division has now permitted greater than 13 gigawatts of offshore wind vitality — sufficient to energy practically 5 million houses

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Division of the Inside in the present day introduced its approval of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind vitality undertaking – the nation’s ninth commercial-scale, offshore wind vitality undertaking permitted underneath President Biden’s management. With in the present day’s approval, the Division has permitted greater than 13 gigawatts of unpolluted vitality from offshore wind vitality tasks – sufficient to energy practically 5 million houses.

“The Biden-Harris administration is building momentum every day for our clean energy future, and today’s milestone is yet another step toward our ambitious goal of deploying 30 gigawatts of offshore energy by 2030,” stated Secretary Deb Haaland. “Our clean energy future is now a reality – thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America agenda we are addressing climate change, fostering job growth, and promoting equitable economic opportunities for all communities.”

“Under President Biden’s leadership, this Administration is building a bright future for American offshore wind, going from zero gigawatts of commercial-scale projects approved to more than 13 gigawatts in the last three years – a surge of progress that means good-paying jobs for thousands of workers and clean energy for millions of homes,” stated President Biden’s Nationwide Local weather Advisor Ali Zaidi. “Today’s approval of an offshore wind project that has a labor agreement with six New Jersey unions reflects the win-win opportunities that we are seizing to benefit local workers and communities. The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use every available tool to grow the American offshore wind industry as we strengthen the nation’s power grid and tackle the climate crisis.”

Bidenomics and the President’s Investing in America agenda are rising the American economic system from the center out and backside up – from rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure, to driving over half a trillion {dollars} in new non-public sector manufacturing and clear vitality investments in america, to creating good-paying jobs and constructing a clear vitality economic system that may fight the local weather disaster and make our communities extra resilient.

“Today’s approval of the Atlantic Shores South Wind project follows an intentional collaborative process,” stated Bureau of Ocean Vitality Administration Director Elizabeth Klein. “At BOEM, our dedication to engaging with Tribal Nations, states, other government agencies, industry, environmental organizations, and ocean users remains paramount, ensuring responsible energy development while addressing community concerns and safeguarding our marine ecosystems.”

Along with the milestone achieved in the present day, because the begin of the Biden-Harris administration, BOEM has held 4 offshore wind vitality lease gross sales, together with offshore New York, New Jersey, the Carolinas, and the first-ever gross sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. The Division additionally lately introduced a schedule of as much as 12 extra lease gross sales by way of 2028.

The Atlantic Shores South wind undertaking consists of two wind vitality amenities — Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Mission 1 and a pair of — and related export cables, that are anticipated to generate as much as 2,800 megawatts of electrical energy, sufficient to energy shut to at least one million houses with clear renewable vitality. The undertaking is roughly 8.7 miles offshore New Jersey at its closest level. To supply vitality to New Jersey, Atlantic Shores South proposed as much as 200 complete wind turbine mills and as much as ten offshore substations with subsea transmission cables probably making landfall in Atlantic Metropolis and Sea Girt, New Jersey. BOEM has permitted development of as much as 195 wind turbine mills.

On Might 23, 2024, BOEM introduced the ultimate Environmental Influence Assertion (EIS) for the proposed undertaking, which analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the actions outlined within the undertaking’s development and operations plan and regarded cheap alternate options. BOEM held 4 public conferences and a nation-to-nation session through the public remark interval on the draft EIS to collect priceless suggestions from Tribes, authorities businesses, ocean customers, and others.  The suggestions resulted in measures recognized to keep away from, reduce or mitigate the potential impacts of the undertaking, together with visible impacts and potential impacts to marine life and to current ocean makes use of comparable to fishing. The Document of Resolution describes these measures, which BOEM would require as phrases and situations of its approval of the Atlantic Shores South Building and Operations Plan.

The “Notice of Availability of a Joint Record of Decision for the Proposed Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South Project” will likely be printed within the Federal Register within the coming days. For additional info on the Atlantic Shores South Mission, please go to BOEM’s website.

Courtesy of U.S. Department of Interior.