BOEM releases draft EIS for 2.1-GW Empire Wind project off New York

The US Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management (BOEM) on Monday released the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the 2.1-GW Empire Wind offshore wind project in New York and opened a 60-day public comment period.

The DEIS was issued following the submission of the Construction and Operation Plan (COP) for the Empire Wind 1 and 2 offshore wind projects by a joint venture between Equinor ASA (NYSE:EQNR) and BP Plc (LON:BP).

BOEM will use public input in the preparation of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the scheme. Comments will be accepted by January 17, 2023, with three virtual public meetings planned to be held in December.

The findings in the EIS will be taken under consideration in the COP review and BOEM’s subsequent decision.

Planned to be installed south of Long Island, the two wind farms will consist of up to 147 turbines in total that will be providing power to the state of New York through a connection to the grid in Brooklyn and Long Beach. The project comes with plans for two offshore substations, electrical cable routes, export cable landfall sites, electrical cable routes and two onshore substations.

Once in operation, Empire Wind 1 and 2 will be capable of generating power for at least 700,000 homes. The two plants will occupy an area of 80,000 acres (32,375 ha).

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