The Biden-Harris Administration has now approved the construction and operations of the Vineyard Wind 1 Project — the first commercial-scale, offshore wind project in the U.S.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) developed by ERM under the direction of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) for this project will become the template and model for all future offshore wind projects in the U.S. Our involvement in this first of its kind project will be instrumental in the lower-carbon economy transition of the U.S.
The risks associated with a changing climate are recognized as systemic to the global economy. And with increasing pressure from investors, regulators, customers, and society for businesses and governments to transition to a lower-carbon economy, projects such as this, where renewable energy is produced at scale, are essential in making that change a reality.
Approval
The Record of Decision issued Tuesday, May 11, 2021, includes the authorization to construct, operate and maintain an 800-MW offshore wind energy facility. This project began when the developer submitted its Construction and Operations Plan in late December 2017. As the lead federal agency responsible for evaluating such projects, the BOEM determined that an EIS was required.
ERM served as an extension of BOEM in the preparation of the EIS which assessed the potential environmental, social, economic, historic, and cultural impacts that could result from the construction, operation, maintenance, and eventual decommissioning of the Project. As BOEM’s third-party NEPA contractor, ERM supported the development of a defensible, and technically sound EIS, as well as completion of the Section 106 consultation process.
More importantly, ERM assisted BOEM in developing methodologies, procedures, and approaches applicable to all future U.S. offshore wind projects. This document, prepared and managed by ERM, paved the way for BOEM’s approval and provides a positive signal to the global offshore wind industry that the U.S. is on the path forward with offshore wind development.
