By Joseph Sapia
A comment period on the sale of leasing rights for a 127-square-mile wedge of the Atlantic Ocean east of Sandy Hook for windmill-generated electricity ends in early August.
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is soliciting comments until Friday, Aug. 5, or the end of a 60-day period, on the New York Wind Energy Area (NYWEA). The website for the project is www.boem.gov/New-York/.
The site is about 18-1/2 miles east of Sandy Hook and extends to the southeast for about 30 miles at its longest point.
Its closest point to land is about 12-1/2 miles south of Long Beach, New York. For boaters and anglers, it is in the area of the ocean’s Hudson Canyon.
Locally based environmental groups – such as Clean Ocean Action (COA) and the American Littoral Society (ALS), both based at Sandy Hook – are monitoring the process and commenting on it.
“We’re looking at this one,” said Tim Dillingham, ALS’ executive director. “It’s a big proposal. We’ll weigh in. We want the right stuff to go in the right place.”
“This is the start of a long process,” said Zachary Lees, COA’s ocean and coastal policy attorney. “This is the first step in a process to put a wind farm out there.”
The NYWEA came about after the New York State Power Authority approached BOEM in September 2011 about creating an offshore wind farm site. The Power Authority proposed up to 194 turbines producing about 700 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 245,000 homes.
No utility has been selected to use the site. But six utilities have so far expressed interest, with the deadline also being Aug. 5.
A comment period on the sale of leasing rights for a 127-square-mile wedge of the Atlantic Ocean east of Sandy Hook for windmill-generated electricity ends in early August.
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is soliciting comments until Friday, Aug. 5, or the end of a 60-day period, on the New York Wind Energy Area (NYWEA). The website for the project is www.boem.gov/New-York/.
The site is about 18-1/2 miles east of Sandy Hook and extends to the southeast for about 30 miles at its longest point.
Its closest point to land is about 12-1/2 miles south of Long Beach, New York. For boaters and anglers, it is in the area of the ocean’s Hudson Canyon.
Locally based environmental groups – such as Clean Ocean Action (COA) and the American Littoral Society (ALS), both based at Sandy Hook – are monitoring the process and commenting on it.
“We’re looking at this one,” said Tim Dillingham, ALS’ executive director. “It’s a big proposal. We’ll weigh in. We want the right stuff to go in the right place.”
“This is the start of a long process,” said Zachary Lees, COA’s ocean and coastal policy attorney. “This is the first step in a process to put a wind farm out there.”
The NYWEA came about after the New York State Power Authority approached BOEM in September 2011 about creating an offshore wind farm site. The Power Authority proposed up to 194 turbines producing about 700 megawatts of electricity, or enough to power 245,000 homes.
No utility has been selected to use the site. But six utilities have so far expressed interest, with the deadline also being Aug. 5.
Until it gets closer to a lease being issued, it is unknown how many turbines would be proposed or how tall they would be.
Obtaining the rights to lease does not necessarily mean approval will be granted for the project.
The triangle-shaped NYWEA is positioned between major shipping lanes. So, ALS and COA have a concern about how it would af fect shipping.
“In a storm, you don’t want a lot of structures (just) outside the traffic lanes,” Dillingham said.
Also, ALS has concerns about NYWEA’s impact on fishing, habitat for whales and whales being displaced into shipping lanes.
On a positive note, wind energy is cleanly generated power.
“Offshore wind can play a role in climate change mitigation,” Dillingham said.
“Clean Ocean Action is supportive of responsibly developed wind (power),” Lees said. “We always emphasize the ‘responsibly developed.’”
“People react differently to these windmills,” Dillingham said. “Some people love them, some people hate them.”
Comments on the NYWEA may be made at this link. Or you can find it electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, then entering BOEM-2016-0027 in the keyword or identification area, and, finally, clicking on “search.” Comments may be made by mail to the BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP, Sterling, VA., 20166, attention: Comments on New York PSN (Proposed Sale Notice).
Obtaining the rights to lease does not necessarily mean approval will be granted for the project.
The triangle-shaped NYWEA is positioned between major shipping lanes. So, ALS and COA have a concern about how it would af fect shipping.
“In a storm, you don’t want a lot of structures (just) outside the traffic lanes,” Dillingham said.
Also, ALS has concerns about NYWEA’s impact on fishing, habitat for whales and whales being displaced into shipping lanes.
On a positive note, wind energy is cleanly generated power.
“Offshore wind can play a role in climate change mitigation,” Dillingham said.
“Clean Ocean Action is supportive of responsibly developed wind (power),” Lees said. “We always emphasize the ‘responsibly developed.’”
“People react differently to these windmills,” Dillingham said. “Some people love them, some people hate them.”
Comments on the NYWEA may be made at this link. Or you can find it electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, then entering BOEM-2016-0027 in the keyword or identification area, and, finally, clicking on “search.” Comments may be made by mail to the BOEM Office of Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OREP, Sterling, VA., 20166, attention: Comments on New York PSN (Proposed Sale Notice).
