[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 235 (Friday, December 7, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63184-63185]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-26573]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2018-0069]


Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement 
for Vineyard Wind LLC's Proposed Wind Energy Facility Offshore 
Massachusetts

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement.

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SUMMARY: Consistent with the regulations implementing the National 
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management 
(BOEM) is announcing the availability of a Draft Environmental Impact 
Statement (EIS) for the Construction and Operation Plan (COP) submitted 
by Vineyard Wind LLC (Vineyard Wind). The Draft EIS analyzes the 
potential environmental impacts of the proposed action described in the 
Vineyard Wind COP and reasonable alternatives to the proposed action. 
This Notice of Availability (NOA) announces the start of the public 
review and comment period, as well as the dates and locations of public 
hearings on the Draft EIS. After BOEM holds the public hearings and 
addresses comments on the Draft EIS, BOEM will prepare a Final EIS.

DATES: Comments should be submitted no later than January 22, 2019. 
BOEM's public hearings will be held at the following dates and times. 
Please see the ADDRESSES section for the specific locations.

[ssquf] New Bedford, Massachusetts: Tuesday, January 8, 2019
[ssquf] Narragansett, Rhode Island: Wednesday: January 9, 2019
[ssquf] Hyannis, Massachusetts: Tuesday, January 15, 2019
[ssquf] Nantucket, Massachusetts: Wednesday, January 16, 2019
[ssquf] Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts: Thursday, January 17, 2019

ADDRESSES: The Draft EIS and detailed information about the proposed 
wind energy facility, including the COP, can be found on BOEM's website 
at: https://www.boem.gov/Vineyard-Wind/. Comments can be submitted in 
any of the following ways:
     In written form, delivered by hand or by mail, enclosed in 
an envelope labeled ``Vineyard Wind COP Draft EIS'' and addressed to 
Program Manager, Office of Renewable Energy, Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166. Comments 
must be received or postmarked no later than January 22, 2019; or
     Through the regulations.gov web portal: Navigate to 
htttp://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2018-0069. 
Click on the ``Comment Now!'' button to the right of the document link. 
Enter your information and comment, then click ``Submit.''
    BOEM will hold public hearings for the Draft EIS for the Vineyard 
Wind COP at the following places and times:
    [ssquf] New Bedford, Massachusetts: Tuesday, January 8, 2019; New 
Bedford Whaling Museum, 18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, Massachusetts 
02740; Open House 5:00-8:00 p.m.; Presentation and Q&A 6:00 p.m.
    [ssquf] Narragansett, Rhode Island: Wednesday: January 9, 2019; 
Narragansett Town Hall, 25 5th Avenue, Narragansett, Rhode Island 
02882; Open

[[Page 63185]]

House 5:00-8:00 p.m.; Presentation and Q&A 6:00 p.m.
    [ssquf] Hyannis, Massachusetts: Tuesday, January 15, 2019; Double 
Tree Hotel, Cape Cod Room, 287 Iyannough Road, Hyannis, Massachusetts 
02601; Open House 5:00-8:00 p.m.; Presentation and Q&A 6:00 p.m.
    [ssquf] Nantucket, Massachusetts: Wednesday, January 16, 2019; 
Nantucket Atheneum, 1 India Street, Nantucket, Massachusetts 02554; 
Open House 5:00 p.m.-7:30 p.m.; Presentation and Q&A 6:00 p.m.
    [ssquf] Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts: Thursday, January 17, 2019; 
Martha's Vineyard Hebrew Center, 130 Center Street, Vineyard Haven, 
Massachusetts 02568; Open House 5:00-8:00 p.m.; Presentation and Q&A 
6:00 p.m.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the Vineyard Wind 
COP EIS, the submission of comments, or BOEM's policies associated with 
this notice, please contact Michelle Morin, BOEM Office of Renewable 
Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 20166, (703) 
787-1722 or [email protected]

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
    Proposed Action: The proposed action is approval of the 
construction and operation of a wind energy facility as described in 
the COP submitted by Vineyard Wind on Lease Area OCS-A 0501. The COP 
proposes to construct, operate, maintain, and eventually decommission 
an up to 800 MW wind energy facility on the OCS offshore Massachusetts 
within the proposed Project area. Vineyard Wind's COP proposes 
installing up to 100 wind turbine generators, each with a capacity of 
between 8 and 10 MW. Foundations would be 100 monopiles or up to 10 
jacket foundations and the remainder monopiles. The proposed facility 
would also include one or two offshore substations or electrical 
service platforms. The Vineyard Wind COP also proposes an export cable 
from the wind energy facility to shore that would occur within the 
range of design parameters outlined in the COP. Vineyard Wind has 
identified two potential export cable landfalls: One near the town of 
Yarmouth and one near the town of Barnstable, both in the Commonwealth 
of Massachusetts. Onshore construction and staging would take place at 
the New Bedford Marine Commerce Terminal facility. At its nearest 
point, the project area is approximately 12 nautical miles from the 
southeast corner of Martha's Vineyard and a similar distance from the 
southwest side of Nantucket. The turbines would be located in water 
depths ranging from approximately 37 to 49 meters (approximately 121 to 
161 feet).
    Alternatives: In preparing the Draft EIS and in consideration of 
scoping comments, BOEM conducted an initial evaluation of a full range 
of alternatives. BOEM eliminated from further consideration 
alternatives that were technically or economically infeasible, did not 
provide environmental benefits, or otherwise did not meet BOEM's 
purpose and need. BOEM's Draft EIS carries forward for full evaluation 
a reasonable range of alternatives to the proposed action. The 
alternatives include the proposed action, a different cable landfall 
location, a reduction in project size, several options for modified 
wind turbine layouts, and a no-action alternative to disapprove the 
COP. This Draft EIS analyzes each alternative in detail, including 
direct, indirect, and cumulative environmental effects. The Draft EIS 
also considers proposed mitigation measures that BOEM may select. 
Compliance with existing laws and regulations by Vineyard Wind and BOEM 
may require additional measures or modifications to the measures 
described in the Draft EIS.
    Once BOEM completes the Final EIS and associated consultations, 
BOEM will decide whether to approve, approve with modification, or 
disapprove the Vineyard Wind COP. If BOEM approves the COP and the 
proposed facility is constructed, the lessee must submit a plan to 
decommission the facilities before the lease term ends.
    Availability of the Draft EIS: The Draft EIS, Vineyard Wind COP, 
and associated information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/Vineyard-Wind/. BOEM will distribute digital copies of the 
Draft EIS to interested parties upon request. If you require a paper 
copy, BOEM will provide one upon request, as long as copies are 
available. You may request a CD, paper copy, or the location of a 
library with a paper copy of the Draft EIS by calling (703) 787-1346.
    Cooperating Agencies: On March 30, 2018, BOEM published in the 
Federal Register a Notice of Intent to prepare the Draft EIS. Nine 
agencies are participating as cooperating agencies in the preparation 
of the Draft EIS: The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement, 
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. 
Coast Guard, the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, the 
Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Rhode Island 
Coastal Resource Management Council, and the Narragansett Indian Tribe.
    BOEM does not consider anonymous comments. Please include your name 
and address as part of your submittal. BOEM makes all comments, 
including the name and addresses of respondents, available for public 
review during regular business hours. Individual respondents may 
request that BOEM withhold their names or addresses from the public 
record; however, BOEM cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so. 
If you wish your name or address to be withheld, you must state your 
preference prominently at the beginning of your comment. All 
submissions from organizations or businesses and from individuals 
identifying themselves as representatives or officials of organizations 
or businesses will be made available for public inspection in their 
entirety.

    Authority:  This NOA was prepared pursuant to NEPA and 
implementing regulations at 40 CFR 1506.6 and 43 CFR 46.435.

    Dated: December 3, 2018.
William Yancey Brown,
Chief Environmental Officer, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2018-26573 Filed 12-6-18; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P