[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 178 (Friday, September 15, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Pages 63615-63616]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-19956]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2022-0053]


Notice of Availability of the Empire Offshore Wind Final 
Environmental Impact Statement

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability; final environmental impact statement.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the 
availability of the final environmental impact statement (FEIS) for the 
construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Empire Wind, LLC 
(Empire Wind) for its proposed Empire Wind Offshore Wind Farm Project 
(Project) offshore New York. The FEIS analyzes the potential 
environmental impacts of the Project as described in the COP (the 
proposed action) and the alternatives to the proposed action. The FEIS 
will inform BOEM's decision whether to approve, approve with 
modifications, or disapprove the COP.

ADDRESSES: The FEIS and detailed information about the Project, 
including the COP, can be found on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/empire-wind.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Stromberg, BOEM Office of 
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP, Sterling, 
Virginia 20166, (703) 787-1730 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Proposed Action: Empire Wind seeks approval to construct, operate, 
and maintain the Project: a wind energy facility and its associated 
export cables on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore New York. 
The Project would be developed within the range of design parameters 
outlined in the Empire Wind COP, subject to applicable mitigation 
measures. Empire Wind proposes to develop the lease area in two wind 
farms, known as Empire Wind 1 (EW 1) and Empire Wind 2 (EW 2) 
(collectively, the Project). EW 1 and EW 2 will be independent from 
each other. In total, Empire Wind proposes constructing and operating 
up to 147 wind turbines and up to 2 offshore substations with 2 cable 
routes under the terms of Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0512.
    The Project is located 14 statute miles from Long Island, New York, 
and 19.5 statute miles from Long Branch, New Jersey. The onshore 
components of the Project will include up to three export cable 
landfalls in New York (one for EW 1 and up to two for EW 2) and two 
onshore substations: EW 1 onshore substation in Brooklyn, New York; and 
EW 2 onshore substation in either Oceanside, New York, Island Park, New 
York, or both.
    Alternatives: BOEM considered 30 alternatives when preparing the 
FEIS and carried forward 7 alternatives for further analysis in the 
FEIS. These seven alternatives include six action alternatives and the 
no action alternative. Twenty-three alternatives were rejected because 
they did not meet the purpose and need for the proposed action or did 
not meet screening criteria, which are presented in FEIS section 2.2. 
The screening criteria included consistency with law and regulations; 
technical and economic feasibility; environmental impact; and 
geographic considerations.
    Availability of the FEIS: The FEIS, Empire Wind COP, and associated 
information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/empire-wind. BOEM has distributed 
digital copies of the FEIS to all parties listed in FEIS appendix K. If 
you require a digital copy on a flash drive or a paper copy, BOEM will 
provide one upon request, as long as these materials are available. You 
may request a flash drive or paper copy of the FEIS by contacting 
Brandi Sangunett at (703) 787-1015 or [email protected].
    Cooperating Agencies: The following Federal agencies and State and 
city governmental entities participated as cooperating agencies in the 
preparation of the FEIS: Bureau of Safety and Environmental 
Enforcement; U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; National Marine 
Fisheries Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; 
Maritime Administration; National Park Service; New York State 
Department of Environmental Conservation; New York State Department of 
State; New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; New 
York State Energy Research and Development Authority; and New York City 
Mayor's Office of Environmental Coordination. The following Federal and 
Tribal entities participated as participating agencies in the 
preparation of the FEIS: The Shinnecock Indian Nation; Wampanoag Tribe 
of Gay Head (Aquinnah), Delaware Nation, Delaware Tribe of Indians, 
Stockbridge-Munsee Community Band of Mohican Indians, U.S. Fish and 
Wildlife Service; Department of Defense, and Department of the Navy.

[[Page 63616]]

    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR 
1506.6.

Karen Baker,
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy 
Management.
[FR Doc. 2023-19956 Filed 9-14-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P