U.S. Interior Finalizes Environmental Review for 2.4 Gigawatt SouthCoast Offshore Wind Project

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management on Nov. 8 announced the completion of the environmental review for the SouthCoast offshore wind project. Once operational, the wind farm could have a power generation capacity of 2.4 gigawatts, sufficient to supply over 800,000 households.

The SouthCoast offshore wind lease area spans around 127,388 acres and is approximately 30 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 miles south of Nantucket, Massachusetts. The project proposal consists of over 140 wind turbine generators, five offshore substation platforms and eight offshore export cables.

Since 2020, ten offshore wind projects with more than 15 GW capacity, have received approvals from the Department of the Interior. The department has also completed six offshore wind lease auctions, including an offshore wind lease sale in Oregon. Last month, the first commercial offshore wind lease sale in the Gulf of Maine yielded $22 million in winning bids.

In April, the department updated regulations to expedite offshore wind project development in the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, which could save $1.9 billion for the offshore wind industry in the next 20 years. In addition to streamlining complex regulatory processes, the regulations also established a public renewable energy leasing schedule, reforms to the bureau’s renewable energy auction regulations, and improved clarity on safety management system regulations.

During the environmental review, the bureau held a 60-day public comment period to convene relevant stakeholders such as local community members, Tribal Nations, and fisheries for their input.