[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 89 (Tuesday, May 7, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Page 38183]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-09844]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

[Docket No. BOEM-2024-0027]


Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment for 
Additional Site Assessment Activities on Beacon Wind, LLC's Renewable 
Energy Lease OCS-A 0520

AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the 
availability of a final environmental assessment (EA) and its finding 
that additional site assessment activities in Lease Area OCS-A 0520 
offshore Massachusetts will not significantly impact the environment. 
Beacon Wind, LLC (Beacon Wind), the leaseholder, requested to conduct 
the additional activities in the lease area, which were not analyzed in 
the initial EA titled ``Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site 
Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore 
Massachusetts'' (2014 EA). This final EA analyzed the potential 
environmental impacts of the proposed additional site assessment 
activities. Those activities comprise 35 deployments and removals of a 
single suction bucket foundation at 26 locations within the lease area 
to gather engineering information to inform Beacon Wind's foundation 
design for wind turbines and offshore substations. This EA will inform 
BOEM's decision whether to approve Beacon Wind's site assessment plan 
(SAP) amendment for suction bucket foundation testing.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Laura Lee Wolfson, BOEM Office of 
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia 
20166, (703) 787-1433 or [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Proposed Action: The final EA analyzes the proposed action 
alternative, which is approving the additional site assessment 
activities proposed in the Beacon Wind SAP amendment to the lease area. 
The EA considers the reasonably foreseeable environmental consequences 
associated with the deployment and recovery of suction bucket 
foundations to further assess the site conditions and gather 
information to support the engineering design of wind turbine and 
offshore substation foundations that would potentially be installed 
within the lease area for the proposed Beacon Wind project. BOEM 
prepared an EA for this proposed action in order to assist the agency's 
planning and decision-making (40 CFR 1501.5(b)).
    Alternatives: In addition to the proposed action, BOEM considered 
the no action alternative. Under the no action alternative, BOEM would 
not approve the SAP amendment, and the additional site assessment 
activities for foundation testing would not occur within the Beacon 
Wind lease area OCS-A 0520. BOEM's preferred alternative is the 
proposed action.
    Finding of no significant Impact: After carefully considering 
alternatives described and analyzed in the final EA and comments from 
the public and cooperating and consulting agencies on the draft EA, 
BOEM finds that approval of the SAP amendment for suction bucket 
foundation testing within the Beacon Wind lease area would have no 
significant impact on the environment.
    Availability of the final EA and finding: This EA, its finding, and 
associated information are available on BOEM's website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/beacon-wind.
    Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR 
1506.6.

Walter Cruickshank,
Deputy Director, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
[FR Doc. 2024-09844 Filed 5-6-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4340-98-P