OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS

Click the links in the table below to access information associated with operational and proposed offshore wind energy projects from Maine to North Carolina. Links lead to the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM’s) pages on each project, interactive Portal maps of each lease area where a project is located, and interactive Portal maps of any available project-specific data. For a series of maps related to offshore wind in the Northeast, visit the Energy and Infrastructure theme maps to view all Planning Areas, Projects in Review, and Permitted Projects.

BOEM is the lead federal agency authorized to issue leases, easements, and rights of way to allow for renewable energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The four distinct phases of BOEM’s renewable energy program are shown below the table. Other entities, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and states, also have roles in the development and permitting process, which is beyond the scope of this web page.

Click on each Project Name to view BOEM status updates and any available public meeting information.

Project Name

Linked to BOEM page with details and public meeting info

Lease Number

Linked to Portal map

Lessee / Parent CompanyStatus / Public commentProject Location

Footprint, cable route(s), and/or turbine locations (as available)

Block Island Wind FarmState leaseDeepwater Wind New England LLC / Orsted North America Inc.OperationMap
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind - PilotOCS-A 0497Virginia Department of EnergyOperationMap
Vineyard Wind 1OCS-A 0501Vineyard Wind 1 LLC / Avangrid Renewables LLC & Copenhagen Infrastructure PartnersEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
South Fork Wind FarmOCS-A 0517South Fork Wind LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & EversourceEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
Ocean Wind 1OCS-A 0498Ocean Wind LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & PSEGEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
Revolution WindOCS-A 0486Revolution Wind LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & EversourceEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind - Commercial OCS-A 0483Virginia Electric and Power CompanyEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
Empire Wind 1 and Empire Wind 2OCS-A 0512Empire Offshore Wind LLC / Equinor Wind US & BPEnvironmental Review and Permitting CompleteMap
Sunrise WindOCS-A 0487Sunrise Wind LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & EversourceBOEM FEIS Map
New England Wind (Phase 1: Park City Wind; Phase 2: Commonwealth Wind)OCS-A 0534Park City Wind LLCBOEM FEIS Map
SouthCoast WindOCS-A 0521SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC / Ocean Winds & ShellBOEM DEISMap
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1OCS-A 0499Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Projects 1 & 2 LLCs / Shell New Energies US LLC & EDF Renewables North AmericaBOEM DEISMap
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 2OCS-A 0499Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Projects 1 & 2 LLCs / Shell New Energies US LLC & EDF Renewables North AmericaBOEM DEISMap
Maryland Offshore WindOCS-A 0490US Wind IncBOEM DEISMap
Kitty HawkOCS-A 0508Avangrid Renewables LLCBOEM NOIMap
Beacon WindOCS-A 0520Beacon Wind LLC / Equinor Wind US & BPBOEM Draft EA for additional site assessmentMap
Bay State WindOCS-A 0500Bay State Wind LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & EversourceCOP Submitted
Skipjack Wind 1OCS-A 0519Skipjack Offshore Energy LLC / Orsted North America Inc.COP Submitted
Garden State Offshore EnergyOCS-A 0482GSOE LLC / Orsted North America Inc. & PSEGSAP Approved
Vineyard NortheastOCS-A 0522Vineyard Northeast LLCSAP Approved
Excelsior Wind (Vineyard Mid-Atlantic, LLC)OCS-A 0544Vineyard Mid-Atlantic LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Leading Light Wind (Invenergy Wind)OCS-A 0542Invenergy Wind Offshore LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Atlantic Offshore WindOCS-A 0541Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Bight LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Community Offshore WindOCS-A 0539Community Offshore Wind LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Attentive Energy OneOCS-A 0538Attentive Energy LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Bluepoint WindOCS-A 0537Bluepoint Wind LLCBOEM Draft PEIS / March 13, 2024
Ocean Wind 2OCS-A 0532Orsted North America Inc
Atlantic Shores NorthOCS-A 0549Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC
TotalEnergies Carolina Long Bay, LLCOCS-A 0545TotalEnergies Renewables USA LLC
Cinergy CorpOCS-A 0546Duke Energy Renewables Wind LLC

Last edit: February 27, 2024

Other BOEM Offshore Wind Atlantic Planning Updates

Linked to BOEM page with details and public meeting info

Location

Linked to Portal map

Relevant Date(s)
Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) for Expected Wind Energy Development in the New York BightMapPublic comment period extended to March 13, 2024
Notice of Availability of Central Atlantic Draft Environment AssessmentMapPublic comment period closed February 12, 2024.
Central Atlantic Proposed Sale NoticeMapPublic comment period closed February 10, 2024.
Draft Wind Energy Area (WEA) in the Gulf of MaineMapPublic comment period closed November 20, 2023.
Final Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) in the Central AtlanticMapPublic comment period closed August 31, 2023.
Draft Environmental Assessment for a Wind Energy Research Lease on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore MaineMapPublic comment period closed August 21, 2023.

Last edit: February 27, 2024

For more detail about BOEM’s renewable energy program phases, see BOEM’s Renewable Energy Regulatory Framework and Guidelines.

1. Planning & Analysis (~2 years)

The first phase involves planning and analysis to identify the most appropriate sites for renewable energy leasing and development activities. This phase involves federally recognized tribes, other federal agencies, states, local governments, and includes mechanisms for public input. Steps in this phase could include:

  • Intergovernmental Task Force
  • Request for Information or Call for Information and Nominations
  • Area Identification. This can include unsolicited bids.
  • Environmental Reviews
2. Leasing (~1-2 years)

The Energy Policy Act of 2005 requires that BOEM issue leases and grants on a competitive basis, unless it determines that there is no competitive interest in the proposed lease or grant. When only one developer has indicated interest in developing a given site, BOEM may issue a lease or grant noncompetitively. If multiple developers express interest in leasing a given site, then BOEM proceeds with a competitive leasing process, which may ultimately result in a lease sale or auction. In either case, there are multiple opportunities for public involvement in the activities in this phase. In practice, all leases issued in the Northeast have been competitive.

  • Publish leasing notices
  • Conduct auction or negotiate lease terms
  • Issue lease(s)
3. Site Assessment (up to 5 years)

Once a lease or grant is issued, lessees have 12 months to submit a Site Assessment Plan (SAP) to BOEM that describes how they will characterize the area (e.g., conduct resource assessments, install meteorological towers or buoys). SAPs pertain to the entire lease area. After site assessment, developers often publicly announce their intent to build a project within the lease area and choose a project name. At this time, they might also begin negotiating with utility companies, states, and other entities to secure support for the project.

  • Site characterization
  • Site assessment plan
4. Construction & Operations (~2 years) (+25)

This phase includes the formal submission of a plan to construct a specific offshore wind energy facility within a lease area, the environmental review of the proposed project by BOEM with cooperating and participating agencies (includes federal and state) under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and the actual construction of a facility. This phase includes several steps that span many years and include public meetings and comment periods (*indicates formal public comment opportunity):

  • COP Submitted – developer submits Construction and Operations Plan (COP)
    After BOEM approves the COP, maps showing the proposed footprint and potential layout of the project will become available on the Northeast Ocean Data Portal.
  • BOEM NOI – BOEM publishes a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (*)
  • BOEM DEIS – BOEM issues a Draft Environmental Impact Statement(*)
  • BOEM FEIS – BOEM issues a Final Environmental Impact Statement
  • BOEM ROD – BOEM issues a Record of Decision
  • Construction
  • Operation
  • Decommissioning

The Northeast Ocean Data Portal Working Group would like to gratefully acknowledge the valuable contributions of Josh Wadlington in discussing, developing, and reviewing offshore wind data and information with us over the past several years.

References

BOEM, 2016. A Citizen’s Guide to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Renewable Energy Authorization Process. https://www.boem.gov/KW-CG-Broch/

BOEM 2020. Renewable Energy: Regulatory Framework and Guidelines. https://www.boem.gov/Regulatory-Framework/

BOEM 2020. Renewable Energy: State Activities. https://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-State-Activities/