Permitting

 

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OVERVIEW

Offshore wind projects are subject to permitting, review, and consultations with nearly 30 different agencies at the federal, state, local, tribal, and regional levels. Each public agency’s permitting process includes opportunity for public review and comment.

Siting of Vineyard Wind 1 began years prior to the first public auction for offshore wind lease development areas. The siting process included a robust public stakeholder process conducted by the federal agency that would later be renamed as the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and covered a wide swath of the outercontinental shelf south of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Hundreds of square miles of ocean were removed from consideration due to sensitive marine habitat and valuable commercial fishing grounds.

TIMELINE

  • 2010 - 2014

    Federal siting review begins for the development of offshore wind energy on the outer continental shelf off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

  • 2015

    January 2015 - The Department of Interior holds a public auction for offshore wind development areas and Vineyard Wind obtains lease area OCS-A-0501.

  • 2016

    August 2016 - Massachusetts Governor Charles Baker signs An Act Relative to Energy Diversity requiring Massachusetts utilities to competitively solicit proposals for up to 1600 MW of offshore wind power by 2027.

  • 2017

    December 2017 - Vineyard Wind submits state and federal project plans to build an offshore wind farm in lease area OCS-A-0501 including a Construction & Operations Plan to federal agency BOEM and transmission plans to Massachusetts's Energy Facilities Siting Board.

  • 2018

    March 2018 - BOEM holds public meetings in advance of preparing an Environmental Impact Statement for Vineyard Wind 1.

    April 2018 - Vineyard Wind submits plans for state review in Massachusetts kicking off environmental review of the offshore export cable corridor, and onshore transmission and interconnection. State agency EFSB opens a public comment period.

    May 2018 - In a competitive bid process, Massachusetts selects the Vineyard Wind 1 project to deliver 800 megawatts of offshore wind energy for Massachusetts ratepayers.

    December 2018 - Vineyard Wind submits a Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) to MEPA; Federal agency BOEM issues the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS); The Department of Interior holds a public auction for offshore wind development areas and Vineyard Wind obtains a second lease area, OCS-A-0522.

  • 2019

    February 2019 - Federal agency BOEM conducts public hearings on the DEIS; State agency MEPA issues certification of the Final Environmental Impact Report (DEIR).

    May 2019 - State board EFSB approves Vineyard Wind 1 transmission.

    July 2019 - Federal agency BOEM announces delay of Vineyard Wind 1 decision and requires additional review to analyze cumulative impacts of multiple offshore wind projects off the East Coast over the next decade.

  • 2020

    Spring 2020 - Vineyard Wind 1 state, regional, and local permitting completed.

    June 2020 - Federal agency BOEM completes the cumulative impact review and issues the Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Vineyard Wind 1. Over 29,000 people submit comments overwhelmingly in support of Vineyard Wind 1 and future offshore wind energy development.

  • 2021

    March 2021 - BOEM releases Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

    May 2021 - BOEM releases Record of Decision (ROD). Onshore site preparation begins in the Town of Barnstable.

  • 2022

    Offshore cable installation to begin.

  • 2023

    Offshore installation of turbines to begin. Vineyard Wind 1 will begin delivering offshore wind energy to New England's power grid.

ABOUT PERMITTING

FEDERAL PERMITTING

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

The United States’ Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is the lead federal permitting agency for offshore wind. In 2015, Vineyard Wind through a competitive process, obtained the OCS-A-0501 lease area in federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and approximately 34 miles south of the Cape Cod mainland. In December 2017, a detailed project proposal for building Vineyard Wind 1, an 800-megawatt project, was submitted to BOEM. This Construction and Operations Plan (COP) and other documents, including visual simulations and public hearing materials can be found on BOEM’s webpage for the Vineyard Wind 1 project.

In March 2018, BOEM issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement which triggered a 30-day public comment period and five public meetings held in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

In December 2018, BOEM released its initial review in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and opened another public comment period. The purpose of the draft is to ensure the technical accuracy of all aspects review and to offer an opportunity for the public to comment. In February 2019, BOEM held a series of public meetings on Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, in New Bedford, Massachusetts and in Narraganset, Rhode Island. In Summer 2019, BOEM announced they planned to delay a decision on Vineyard Wind 1 to conduct a cumulative impact review of future offshore wind developments. The Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) was issued the following year in June 2020. A series of five virtual public meetings were held about the SEIS and over 29,000 public comments were submitted, overwhelmingly in support of moving forward with Vineyard Wind 1 and future offshore wind projects.

STATE PERMITTING

Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)

The MEPA Office is part of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The MEPA Office conducts reviews of environmental impacts of development projects and other activities that require one or more state agency action.  The MEPA review process requires state agencies to study the environmental impacts, and to use all feasible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment or, to the extent damage to the environment cannot be avoided, to minimize and mitigate damage to the environment to the maximum extent practicable.

Vineyard Wind 1 filed for state review in April 2018 and submitted supplemental filings after being awarded a state contract to sell 800 megawatts to Massachusetts public utilities.  In February 2019 after an extended public comment period, Vineyard Wind 1 received certification of its final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). This milestone allowed Vineyard Wind 1 to seek state and local permits.

Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB)

Vineyard Wind 1’s subsea transmission and electric grid interconnection in Barnstable were subject to approval by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board EFSB.   Vineyard Wind 1 petitioned EFSB in December of 2017 and a public period was held in April 2018.  Copies of Vineyard Wind 1’s petitions were made available for public review locally at 10 town halls and libraries.

In May 2019, EFSB approved the Vineyard Wind 1 transmission cables and connection to the grid in Barnstable.

REGIONAL PERMITTING

Cape Cod Commission

The Cape Cod Commission (CCC) is the regional land use planning, economic development, and regulatory agency created in 1990 to serve the citizens and 15 towns of Barnstable County, Massachusetts.  Vineyard Wind 1’s onshore cable route, substation, and a portion of the subsea transmission cable are subject to Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review by the Cape Cod Commission. Vineyard Wind 1 submitted a DRI application on February 11, 2019. The public comment period was opened in March, a public hearing was held in April, and a meeting of the full commission was held in May at which commission staff presented their review and recommendations. At this meeting, the Commission voted to approve the Vineyard Wind 1 DRI.

Martha’s Vineyard Commission

The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) is the regional planning agency for Martha’s Vineyard Island and the Elizabeth Islands (together, comprising the County of Dukes County).  A portion of Vineyard Wind 1’s subsea transmission cable is subject to Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Vineyard Wind 1 submitted a DRI application in January 2019 with public hearings held in February and March.  In May, the Commission voted to approve the Vineyard Wind 1 DRI.

LOCAL PERMITTING

Conservation Commissions: The Towns of Barnstable and Edgartown

Conservation Commissions are responsible for ensuring compliance with the state’s Wetlands Protection Act. Vineyard Wind 1 subsea transmission cables were reviewed by Conservation Commissions in the Towns of Barnstable and Edgartown. Additionally, the Barnstable Conservation Commission reviewed the onshore transmission and grid interconnection infrastructure. Both Conservation Commissions began review of the project in Spring 2019 after the conclusion of regional review. The Town of Barnstable approved the project, and the Town of Edgartown’s review was subject to appeal and ultimately approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.