Description: MassachusettsOn Jan. 29, 2015, BOEM held a competitive lease sale (i.e., auction) for the Wind Energy Area offshore Massachusetts. Two leasing areas in the northwest section of the original WEA (Lease Area OCS-A 0500 - 187,523 acres and OCS-A 0501 - 166,886 acres) were auctioned to the winning bidders of RES America Developments Inc. and Offshore MW LLC. On June 12, 2015 lease OCS-A 0500 was assigned to Bay State Wind LLC (DONG Energy). On March 30, 2018, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced its Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submitted by Vineyard Wind LLC (Vineyard Wind) that would allow it to construct and operate an 800 megawatt (MW) wind energy facility offshore Massachusetts.On October 17, 2018, the Secretary of the Interior announced that it will hold an auction for nearly 390,000 acres offshore Massachusetts on December 13, 2018. Details were published in a Final Sale Notice appearing in the Federal Register on October 19, 2018. Atlantic Wind Lease Sale 4A was held on Dec. 13-14, 2018. The winning bidders for the three commercial leases are: OCS-A 0520 (Equinor Wind US LLC); OCS-A 0521 (Mayflower Wind Energy, LLC); and OCS-A 0522 (Vineyard Wind LLC). Federal Register notices:3/30/2018 - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement(NOI)For more information: http://www.boem.gov/Commercial-Wind-Leasing-Offshore-Massachusetts/Rhode Island / MassachusettsOn July 31, 2013, BOEM auctioned the Rhode Island/Massachusetts WEA, which represented our nation's first competitive lease sale. BOEM auctioned the area as two leases, referred to as the North Lease Area (Lease OCS-A 0486) and the South Lease Area (Lease OCS-A 0487). The North Lease Area consisted of about 97,500 acres and the South Lease Area consisted of about 67,250 acres. On October 1, 2013 leases for both areas became effective with Deepwater Wind New England LLC as the lessee. Leases:North Lease Area - OCS-A 0486 - approximately 97,500 acres: Commercial Lease OCS-A 0486South Lease Area - OCS-A 0487 - approximately 67,250 acres: Commercial Lease OCS-A 0487Rhode IslandOn December 1, 2014 a Right-of-Way Grant (ROW) offshore Rhode Island with Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission, LLC became effective. The eight nautical mile-long, 200-foot wide corridor in federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) connects a proposed offshore wind farm, located in Rhode Island state waters approximately 2.5 nautical miles southeast of Block Island, to the Rhode Island mainland. On January 29, 2015 BOEM approved an assignment of ROW grant OCS-A 0506 from Deepwater Wind to The Narragansett Electric Company (TNEC). For more information: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/RI/Block-Island-Transmission-System.aspxDelawareSecretary Salazar announced on October 23, 2012 that BOEM has reached agreement on a commercial wind energy lease with Bluewater Wind Delaware, LLC for an area of the OCS offshore Delaware. The Delaware Notice of Determination of No Competitive Interest (DNCI) was published in the Federal Register on April 12, 2011 under Docket ID: BOEM-2011-0008. The Delaware Notice of Proposed Lease Area and Request for Competitive Interest (RFCI) was published in the Federal Register on January 26, 2011 under Docket ID: BOEMRE-2010-0075On April 12, 2018, GSOE I, LLC submitted an application to BOEM to assign the southern portion of lease OCS-A 0482 to Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC. BOEM approved the assignment on June 12, 2018. The lease area assigned to Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC now carries the new lease number OCS-A 0519. Skipjack Offshore Energy, LLC's lease is subject to all terms and conditions of the original lease, including the lease terms and December 1, 2012 effective date.For more information: http://www.boem.gov/Renewable-Energy-Program/State-Activities/Delaware.aspxMarylandIn November 2010, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) initiated the leasing process offshore Maryland by issuing a Request for Interest (RFI) to gauge industry’s interest in obtaining commercial wind leases in an area offshore of Maryland. The western edge of the Call Area is approximately 10 nautical miles from the Ocean City, Md., coast, and the eastern edge is approximately 23 nautical miles from the same location. The longest part of the north/south portion is approximately 13 nautical miles and the longest part of the east/west portion is approximately 13 nautical miles. The entire area is approximately 32,256 hectares (79,706 acres).By Lease Amendment, made effective March 1, 2018, US Wind Inc.’s commercial leases 0CS-A 0489 and OCS-A 0490 were merged into a single lease, retaining lease number 0CS-A 0490. Lease OCS-A 0489 was automatically terminated.Federal Register notices:11/09/2010 – Request for Interest(RFI)02/03/2012 – Call for Information(Call)02/03/2012 - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement(NOI)12/18/2013 - Proposed Sale Notice(PSN)07/03/2014 - Final Sale Notice(FSN)For more information: Maryland State Activities Home PageNew JerseyOn November 9, 2015, BOEM held Atlantic Wind Lease Sale Five (ATLW5) for the Wind Energy Area (WEA) offshore New Jersey. The New Jersey WEA includes about 343,833 acres. It begins about 7 nautical miles offshore and extends roughly 21 nm seaward. BOEM auctioned the area as two leases: Lease OCS-A 0498 (South Lease Area) and Lease OCS-A 0499 (North Lease Area). The South Lease Area consists of 160,480 acres and the North Lease Area consists of 183,353 acres.On April 14, 2016, BOEM received an application to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0498 to Ocean Wind LLC. BOEM approved the assignment on May 10, 2106. On November 16, 2018 BOEM received an application from U.S. Wind Inc. to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0499 to EDF Renewables Development, Inc. BOEM approved the assignment on December 4, 2018.Federal Register notices:04/20/2011 – Call for Information07/17/2014 Proposed Sale Notice09/25/2015 - Final Sale Notice11/09/2015 Lease SaleFor more information: New Jersey State Activities Home PageNew YorkOn December 15, 2016, BOEM held Atlantic Wind Lease Sale Six (ATLW6) for Lease Area OCS-A 0512 Offshore New York. The lease area is located 11.5 nautical miles from Jones Beach, NY. From its western edge, the area extends approximately 24 nmi southeast at its longest portion and consists of 5 full OCS blocks and 143 sub-blocks. The entire area is approximately 79,350 acres, or 32,112 hectares. Statoil Wind US LLC (now Equinor Wind US LLC), who bid $42,469,725 was the winner of lease area OCS-A 0512.On March 16, 2016, the Department of Interior announced that BOEM has identified a Wind Energy Area (WEA) offshore New York. The WEA’s closest point to shore is 11 nautical miles (nmi) from Long Beach, NY. From its western edge, the area extends approximately 26 nmi southeast at its longest portion. The project area consists of 5 full OCS blocks and 148 sub-blocks. The entire area is approximately 127 square miles, 81,130 acres, or 32,832 hectares.Federal Register Notices:01/04/2013 - Request for Interest(RFI)05/28/2014 - Call for Information05/28/2014 - Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Assessment03/16/2016 - Wind Energy Area Announcement06/06/2016 - Proposed Sale Notice(PSN)06/06/2016 - Environmental Assessment(EA)10/31/2016 - Final Sale Notice(FSN)10/31/2016 - Revised Environmental Assessment(EA)For more information: New York State Activities Home PageVirginiaA commercial lease with Virginia Electric and Power Company (dba Dominion Virginia Power) for the Virginia Wind Energy Area went into effect on November 1, 2013. The commercial lease sale (i.e., auction) for this lease was held September 4, 2013, representing the second competitive lease sale for renewable energy on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). The area covers approximately 112,799 acres and its western edge is located about 23.5 nautical miles from the Virginia Beach coastline.For more information: Virginia Commercial Lease Web PageResearch Lease VirginiaOn March 24, 2015, BOEM announced it has executed the first wind energy research lease in U.S. federal waters with the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy (DMME). This project is referred to as the Virginia Offshore Wind Technology Advancement Project (VOWTAP). On March 23, 2016, BOEM approved the project's Research Activities Plan (RAP). In conjunction with RAP approval, the project easement requested in the RAP was also granted. The project easement consists of a 200ft corridor from the lease area landward to the Submerged Lands Act Boundary (federal/state line). RAP Approval - Easement For more information: http://www.boem.gov/VOWTAP/North CarolinaOn March 16, 2017, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) Acting Director Walter Cruickshank announced the completion of the nation’s seventh competitive lease sale for renewable wind energy in federal waters. A Wind Energy Area of 122,405 acres offshore Kitty Hawk, North Carolina received the high bid of $9,066,650 from Avangrid Renewables, LLC.12/13/2012 - Call for Information and Nominations(Call)9/15/2015 - Revised Environmental Assessment(EA)8/16/2016 - Proposed Sale Notice and Request for Interest(PSN/RFI)1/18/2017 - Final Sale Notice(FSN)For more information: North Carolina State Activities Home Page
Definition Expression: N/A
Copyright Text: Public information, no credit necessary.
Compiler is Josh Wadlington - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.
Additional collaborators are Christine Taylor and Frank Pendleton - Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.