Feds start the process for next round of offshore wind projects

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) today announced that it will publish a Call for Information and Nominations (Call) for a second regional offshore wind energy sale in the Central Atlantic (Central Atlantic 2). This Call invites public feedback on possible commercial wind energy development in areas off the coasts of New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina.

“Today’s announcement kicks off the process for a second potential auction in the Central Atlantic and provides an important avenue to solicit information as we identify potential areas that may be suitable for future offshore wind energy leasing,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.

The second Central Atlantic Call represents one of the first steps in the leasing process. Today’s announcement builds upon the input and planning that led to the first Central Atlantic lease sale on August 14, 2024, the fifth offshore wind lease sale held during the Biden-Harris administration.

BOEM will publish the Commercial Leasing for Wind Power Development on the Central Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) – Central Atlantic 2 – Call for Information and Nominations in the Federal Register on August 22, 2024, which will initiate a 60-day public comment period. BOEM will accept nominations and comments through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 21, 2024. BOEM will also host several virtual and in-person public meetings in September and October, including a virtual Task Force meeting via Zoom on September 10-11, 2024. To find out more information and to register, go to: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/central-atlantic-2-public-meetings.

After the public comment period closes, BOEM will review and analyze commercial nominations and public comments submitted in response to the Call. BOEM will also consider information from Tribal consultations and the Central Atlantic Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force to further evaluate the appropriateness of the Call Area for offshore wind energy development and identify draft wind energy areas (WEAs). BOEM will conduct environmental reviews of the WEAs in consultation with the appropriate federal agencies, Tribes, state and local governments, and key stakeholders. After completing its environmental reviews and consultations, BOEM may propose a competitive lease sale for areas within the WEAs.

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A ‘First:’ Floating Offshore Wind Energy Lease Signed in Maine


By Mike Schuler, gCaptain

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has executed the first U.S. floating offshore wind energy research lease, covering nearly 15,000 acres off the coast of Maine.

The groundbreaking lease is situated 28 nautical miles off the coast of Maine on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf and is poised to host up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines, with a potential to generate 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

The research initiative, a collaboration between the State of Maine, the fishing community, wildlife experts, and the offshore wind industry, aims to study the potential of floating offshore wind energy, its environmental impacts, and its compatibility with existing ocean uses.

“Floating wind opens up opportunities to produce renewable energy in deeper water farther offshore,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein.

Maine Governor Janet Mills touted offshore winds as offering a historic opportunity for Maine to create good-paying jobs, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and fight climate change by cutting greenhouse gas emissions.

Read the full story here

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks too big to me


Editor’s Note: Headline apology to Rick Nelson

By Ali Watkins, New York Times

Stargazers are being treated to an astronomical show this week as an infrequent blue supermoon lights up the night sky, one of the largest and brightest full moons of the year.

Visible from late Sunday through Wednesday, it will be the first of the year’s four consecutive supermoons. But it’s a special instance, because Sunday’s supermoon is also a seasonal blue moon — the third full moon in a season of four.

The full moon will appear larger and brighter than usual.

The term “supermoon,” coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, refers to a moment when the full moon is closest to Earth on its orbital path. It’s not an official astronomical term, but it is used by the lay-stargazers among us.

Blue Moon lights up sky around the world (Axios photos)

A “blue” moon bears no connection to the color blue, and the moon won’t have a colorful tinge. Instead, a blue moon is used to describe what is effectively an additional full moon, one that violates the rule of thumb, that there is one full moon in a month, or three full moons in a season.

Read the full story here

If you like this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for a full month.

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Look up, is that the moon I see? Can’t be, it looks to big to me

The moon shining behind the Rande Bridge in Vigo, Spain, on Monday. Credit…Sxenick/EPA, via Shutterstock

By Ali Watkins, New York Times

Stargazers are being treated to an astronomical show this week as an infrequent blue supermoon lights up the night sky, one of the largest and brightest full moons of the year.

Visible from late Sunday through Wednesday, it will be the first of the year’s four consecutive supermoons. But it’s a special instance, because Sunday’s supermoon is also a seasonal blue moon — the third full moon in a season of four.

The full moon will appear larger and brighter than usual.

The term “supermoon,” coined by the astrologer Richard Nolle in 1979, refers to a moment when the full moon is closest to Earth on its orbital path. It’s not an official astronomical term, but it is used by the lay-stargazers among us.

Blue Moon lights up sky around the world (Axios)

A “blue” moon bears no connection to the color blue, and the moon won’t have a colorful tinge. Instead, a blue moon is used to describe what is effectively an additional full moon, one that violates the rule of thumb, that there is one full moon in a month, or three full moons in a season.

Read the full story here

If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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New Jersey and Orsted offshore wind are officially kaput

By Bill Barlow, Press of Atlantic City

In two unanimous votes Wednesday, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities vacated rulings related to Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2, huge offshore wind power projects from Danish energy company Ørsted.

Board members vacated a 2019 decision approving Ocean Wind 1 to build close to 100 towering wind turbines off South Jersey beaches. That plan seemed likely to be the first large-scale offshore wind project to be completed in New Jersey, although local opposition continued to grow as the project moved through the state and federal permitting process.

Orsted settle claims with New Jersey for $125M over scrapped offshore projects (AP)
ORSTED pulls plug on its New Jersey offshore wind energy plans (EnviroPolitics)

The BPU vote also vacates approvals granted for rights-of-way for the proposed power lines to pass under Ocean City and across Upper Township to bring the power to the site of the former B.L England power plant, where it would have entered the power grid.

A state law, one which the primary sponsor described as being aimed at Ocean City, allowed the BPU to approve the right-of-way if local communities failed to do so. Several local officials at the city and county level called the move a blow to the principles of home rule.

In September of last year, a group of protesters blocked work at 35th Street exploring the route for the power lines to cross Ocean City. Eventually, six people were arrested after they refused to clear the way. Charges were later dropped.

Despite the decision to vacate, that state law remains in effect.

“The BPU still has the authority to grant new easements to a qualified wind energy company without consent by Ocean City or Cape May County,” Ocean City spokesman Doug Bergen said in an emailed response to a request for comment. “The city continues its legal action challenging the constitutionality of the statute that gives the BPU that power.”

Cape May County celebrated the decision.

“Today is a very important day in our ongoing opposition to these environmentally destructive offshore wind projects,” county Commissioner Director Len Desiderio said in a statement released after the vote. “The vacation of these orders by the BPU means that it will be much more difficult for Ørsted or any other big wind company to utilize these lease areas just a few miles off Cape May County beaches.”

Read the full story here

If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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NJDEP is modifying its rules for architectural coatings

The proposed amendments to the rules governing architectural coatings will add new categories of coatings that will be subject to new volatile organic compound (VOC) content limits and will lower the VOC content limits for some of the existing categories.

The amendments will discontinue 15 of the existing categories for products manufactured on or after the VOC content limit compliance date, and products previously subject to those categories will be subject to the VOC limit of one of the remaining categories. 

 They also will update various provisions of the rules including revisions to the methods used to calculate VOC content, test methods, and definitions. Finally, the proposed rulemaking includes amendments to the penalty provisions at N.J.A.C. 7:27A-3.10 that correspond to the amendments at N.J.A.C. 7:27-23.

The proposal also constitutes a revision to New Jersey’s State Implementation Plan (SIP) for the attainment and maintenance of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for ozone.

See a copy of the rule changes here.

A public hearing on the proposal will be conducted virtually via the Department’s video conferencing software on October 15, 2024 at 9:00 A.M.

If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.

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