In support of the Biden administration’s goal to tackle climate change and promote offshore renewable energy production, BOEM has posted its final guidelines for lighting and marking of structures supporting offshore wind energy projects.
These guidelines promote safe navigation in the air and on the sea and mitigate harm to life, natural resources, and the environment. They contain recommendations about lighting and marking design for wind energy facilities and outline the types of information that BOEM requests from lessees as part of their Site Assessment Plan(s), Construction and Operations Plan(s), or General Activities Plan(s), as applicable. Such information is intended to assist BOEM in determining whether the lighting and marking of offshore wind facilities:
- Are safe.
- Do not unreasonably interfere with other uses of the Outer Continental Shelf.
- Do not cause undue harm or damage to natural resources; life (including human and wildlife); property; the marine, coastal, or human environment; or sites, structures, or objects of historical or archaeological significance.
- Use best available and safest technology.
- Use best management practices.
To access all of BOEM’s guidance documents, please see BOEM’s website at: https://www.boem.gov/guidance