A new study released by the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that maps out  habitats in and around the waters off New York will guide investors and regulators in the future development of
offshore wind energy projects off the state’s coast.

Green, a New York Times blog that covers energy and environmental matters, reports today that the study is the  product of a two-year joint effort by New York’s Department of State and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
to identify critical bird and fish habitats to ensure that they are not
harmed by future wind farms. Environmental groups say the pre-screening
will help save time and red tape and could attract developers and
investors to wind projects by removing uncertainties about the
environmental impacts at a given site.

Like New Jersey and other states along the Atlantic Coast, New York
is seeking to take advantage of its geography to introduce offshore wind
farms and significantly increase the amount of renewable power in its
energy mix. New York officials have been working on identifying the most
viable locations for the wind farms by surveying large swaths of the
ocean with an eye toward protecting commercial shipping and fishing as
well as ecological niches.

The ultimate goal, state officials
said, is to protect places that are important to New York’s existing
ocean industries while harnessing offshore renewable energy resources.

NOAA
officials said the study would serve as a model for future studies on
the Mid-Atlantic region. The agency said that researchers looked at
biodiversity, habitats, resources and the ecology of seabirds and
deep-sea corals, among others, to create maps to guide decisions on the
locations of wind farms.

Solar and wind power coming to Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island

Green also reports the announcement by New York City
officials that they were seeking proposals to build solar and
wind power installations on 75 acres of land at the former Fresh Kills
landfill on Staten Island.

Officials said the site could accommodate
large-scale installations to generate up to 20 megawatts of renewable
energy, or enough to power about 6,000 homes. The project would more
than double the city’s current renewable energy capacity, they said.

Related:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration study
Trying to blow some offshore wind into NJ’s energy sails
Dominion interested in Va offshore wind generation
Engineers Enlist Weather Model to Optimize Offshore Wind Plan