BOEM Issues Decision Allowing Offshore Wind Construction to Begin

WASHINGTON – The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) issued its Record of Decision (ROD), July 3. 
The ROD means that Ørsted is authorized to move ahead with the project. Ørsted officials say they now expect to begin onshore construction in the fall, with offshore work to commence in the new year.
The ROD states: “DOI weighed all concerns in making decisions regarding this Project and has determined that all practicable means within its authority have been adopted to avoid or minimize environmental and socioeconomic harm associated with the selected alternative and the approval of the COP.” 
DOI is the U.S. Department of the Interior, BOEM’s federal home, and COP is Ørsted’s Construction and Operations Plan.
While many local groups, including Cape May County government, do not agree that the planned construction minimizes environmental and socioeconomic harm, the federal decision gives Ørsted the authorization to proceed.
The ROD approves Ørsted’s preferred alternative construction plan with some modifications. Gov. Phil Murphy called the ROD “a pivotal inflection point not just for Orsted, but for New Jersey’s nation-leading offshore wind industry as a whole.”
Ocean Wind begins its construction phase already one year behind schedule. As the Herald reported, a study by the Sweeney Center at Rowan University noted that the Paulsboro facility that is constructing the giant steel columns that will support the turbines is a year behind where it expected to be. 
A recent action by the state Legislature released federal tax credits for offshore wind companies partly to allow that facility to attract the capital needed to expand. 
In a statement issued following the BOEM decision, David Hardy, chief executive officer of Ørsted in America said, “Ocean Wind 1 is on the cusp of making history as construction on New Jersey’s first offshore wind farm is set to begin in a few short months, delivering on the promise of good-paying jobs, local investment, and clean energy.”  
Last year, Murphy increased the goal for offshore wind energy generation to 11,000 megawatts by 2040. BOEM is on record as projecting 1,352 wind turbines off the coast of New York and New Jersey alone. That represents about half of the projected 3.031 turbines planned for the Atlantic Coast.
Opposition to the offshore wind initiative remains active, with various avenues of litigation filed or being considered. The most recent court decision was a defeat for those opposed to the wind farms in that the court ordered Ocean City to issue the necessary permits for Ørsted to begin testing its transmission cable route through Ocean City streets. 
Cape May County officials have said they will use all means available to challenge the project, including reviewing all decisions and permit requests connected to the project for potential litigation opportunities.  
Contact the author, Vince Conti, at vconti@cmcherald.com.