Notice2022-18915
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for Revolution Wind, LLC's Proposed Revolution Wind Farm Offshore Rhode Island
Primary source
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Published
September 2, 2022
Issuing agencies
Interior DepartmentOcean Energy Management Bureau
Abstract
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Revolution Wind, LLC (Revolution Wind) for its proposed Revolution Wind Offshore Wind Farm Project (Project) offshore Rhode Island. The DEIS analyzes the potential environmental impacts of the Project as described in the COP (the proposed action) and the alternatives to the proposed action. This notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment period, as well as the dates and times for public hearings on the DEIS. After the comment period and public hearings, BOEM will publish a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) addressing comments received on the DEIS. The FEIS will inform BOEM's decision whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the COP.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 87 Issue 170 (Friday, September 2, 2022)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 170 (Friday, September 2, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 54248-54250]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2022-18915]
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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
[Docket No. BOEM-2022-0045]
Notice of Availability of a Draft Environmental Impact Statement
for Revolution Wind, LLC's Proposed Revolution Wind Farm Offshore Rhode
Island
AGENCY: Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION: Notice of availability and request for comments; draft
environmental impact statement.
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SUMMARY: The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the
availability of the draft environmental impact statement (DEIS) for the
construction and operations plan (COP) submitted by Revolution Wind,
LLC (Revolution Wind) for its proposed Revolution Wind Offshore Wind
Farm Project (Project) offshore Rhode Island. The DEIS analyzes the
potential environmental impacts of the Project as described in the COP
(the proposed action) and the alternatives to the proposed action. This
notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review
and comment period, as well as the dates and times for public hearings
on the DEIS. After the comment period and public hearings, BOEM will
publish a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) addressing
comments received on the DEIS. The FEIS will inform BOEM's decision
whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the COP.
DATES: Comments must be received no later than October 17, 2022. BOEM
will conduct three in-person public hearings and two virtual public
hearings. BOEM's in-person public hearings will be held at the
following times (eastern time).
<bullet> Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 5:00 p.m.;
<bullet> Wednesday, October 5, 2022, 5:00 p.m.; and
<bullet> Thursday, October 6, 2022, 5:00 p.m.
BOEM's virtual public meetings will be held at the following times
(eastern time).
<bullet> Thursday, September 29, 2022, 1:00 p.m.; and
<bullet> Tuesday, October 11, 2022, 5:00 p.m.
Registration for the public hearings may be completed at <a href="https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind">https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind</a> or by
calling (504) 736-5713.
[[Page 54249]]
ADDRESSES: The DEIS and detailed information about the Project,
including the COP, can be found on BOEM's website at: <a href="https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind">https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind</a>.
Comments can be submitted in any of the following ways:
<bullet> Orally or in written form during any of the public
hearings identified in this NOA.
<bullet> In written form by mail or other delivery service,
enclosed in an envelope labeled ``Revolution Wind COP DEIS'' and
addressed to Program Manager, Office of Renewable Energy Programs,
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA
20166.
<bullet> Through the <a href="http://regulations.gov">regulations.gov</a> web portal: Navigate to <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a> and search for Docket No. BOEM-2022-0045. Click on
the ``Comment'' button below the document link. Enter your information
and comment, then click ``Submit Comment.''
For more information about submitting comments, please see
``Information on Submitting Comments'' under the SUPPLEMENTARY
INFORMATION heading below.
The in-person meetings will be held at the following locations:
<bullet> Tuesday, October 4, 2022--Aquinnah Old Town Hall, 67 State
Road, Aquinnah, Massachusetts 02535, 5:00 p.m. EDT
<bullet> Wednesday, October 5, 2022--Swift Community Center, 121 Peirce
Street, East Greenwich, Rhode Island 02818, 5:00 p.m. EDT
<bullet> Thursday, October 6, 2022--Keith Middle School, 225 Hathaway
Boulevard, New Bedford, Massachusetts 02740, 5:00 p.m. EDT
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 Community
Levels (<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html">https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/science/community-levels.html</a>) will be monitored for Dukes County (Martha's Vineyard,
MA), Washington County (North Kingstown, RI), and Bristol County (New
Bedford, MA). If the COVID-19 Community Level is ``MEDIUM'' or
``HIGH,'' BOEM may decide to cancel one or more in-person hearings and
hold an additional virtual hearing. Updates will be provided to all
meeting registrants via email and on BOEM's website at <a href="https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind">https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind</a>.
Therefore, early registration for in-person meetings is strongly
encouraged.
A registration link for each of the hearings is provided on BOEM's
website at: <a href="https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind">https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind</a>. Registration for the virtual meetings is required.
Webinar information will be sent to registrants via their email address
provided during registration.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Jessica Stromberg, BOEM Office of
Renewable Energy Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, Virginia
20166, (703) 787-1730 or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#2f454a5c5c464c4e015c5b5d40424d4a5d486f4d404a4201484059"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a8c2cddbdbc1cbc986dbdcdac7c5cacddacfe8cac7cdc586cfc7de">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Proposed Action: Revolution Wind seeks approval to construct,
operate, and maintain the Project and its associated export cables on
the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) offshore Rhode Island. The Project
would be developed within the range of design parameters outlined in
the Revolution Wind COP, subject to applicable mitigation measures. The
Project as proposed in the COP would have a maximum capacity ranging
between 704 and 880 megawatts, would include up to 100 wind turbine
generators, up to 2 offshore, high voltage alternating current
substations, inter-array cables linking the individual turbines to the
offshore substations, one substation interconnector cable linking the
substations to each other, offshore export cables, an onshore export
cable system, 1 onshore substation, and connection to the existing
electrical grid at The Narragansett Electric Company Davisville
Substation in North Kingstown, Rhode Island. The Project would be
located on the OCS approximately 15 nautical miles (18 statute miles)
southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island, within an area defined by
Renewable Energy Lease OCS-A 0486. The offshore export cables would be
buried below the seabed in the U.S. OCS and State of Rhode Island
submerged lands. The onshore export cables, substations, and grid
connections would be located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
Alternatives: BOEM considered 18 alternatives when preparing the
DEIS and carried forward 6 alternatives for further analysis in the
DEIS. These six alternatives include five action alternatives and the
no action alternative. Twelve alternatives were not carried forward
because they did not meet the purpose and need for the proposed action
or did not meet screening criteria, which are presented in DEIS chapter
2 and appendix K. The screening criteria included consistency with law
and regulations; technical and economic feasibility; environmental
impacts; and geographic considerations.
Availability of the DEIS: The DEIS, Revolution Wind COP, and
associated information are available on BOEM's website at: <a href="https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind">https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind</a>. BOEM
has distributed digital copies of the DEIS to all parties listed in
DEIS appendix H. If you require a digital copy on a flash drive or a
paper copy, BOEM will provide one upon request, as long as previously
prepared supplies of these materials are available. You may request a
flash drive or paper copy of the DEIS by calling (504) 736-5713.
Cooperating Agencies: The following Federal agencies and State
governmental entities participated as cooperating agencies in the
preparation of the DEIS: Bureau of Safety and Environmental
Enforcement; Environmental Protection Agency; National Marine Fisheries
Service; U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; U.S. Coast Guard; Massachusetts
Office of Coastal Zone Management; Rhode Island Coastal Resources
Management Council; and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental
Management. The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation; National
Park Service; Department of Defense; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service;
and Department of the Navy participated as a participating agency.
Information on Submitting Comments: BOEM does not consider
anonymous comments. Please include your name and address as part of
your comment. BOEM makes all comments, including your name, address,
and other personally identifiable information (PII) included in your
comment, available for public review online and during regular business
hours. You may request that BOEM withhold your name, address, and any
other PII included in your comment from public disclosure. If you wish
your name, address, or other PII to be withheld, you must state your
request prominently in a cover letter and explain the harm that you
fear from disclosure of such information, such as unwarranted privacy
invasion, embarrassment, or injury. Under the Freedom of Information
Act, BOEM cannot guarantee that it will be able to withhold your
information from public disclosure. All submissions from organizations
or businesses and from individuals identifying themselves as
representatives or officials of organizations or businesses will be
made available for public inspection in their entirety.
[[Page 54250]]
Authority: 42 U.S.C. 4231 et seq. (NEPA, as amended) and 40 CFR
1506.6.
Karen Baker,
Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy
Management.
[FR Doc. 2022-18915 Filed 9-1-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4310-MR-P
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