Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind

What’s New?

On Dec. 12, 2022, BOEM announced the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, offshore Virginia Beach, Virginia.  

The Notice of Availability for the CVOW DEIS published in the Federal Register on Dec. 16, 2022, opening a 60-day public comment period, which ends on Feb. 14, 2023. The input received via this process will inform preparation of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  

The following documents are available here for your viewing: 

Public Meetings

During the comment period, BOEM held three virtual public meetings, where the public could learn more about the review process, EIS schedule, potential impacts from the proposed project, and proposals to reduce potential impacts. There was also an opportunity for participants to provide comments on the DEIS. 

The public meetings were held on Jan. 25th, 31st and Feb. 2nd, 2023.  

More information is available in the Virtual Meeting Room.
 
How to Comment  

Comments can be submitted in the following ways:    

  1. In written form by mail, enclosed in an envelope labeled “CVOW-C COP DEIS” and addressed to Program Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166.  
  2. Oral or written testimony during any of the public meetings listed in the Notice of Availability and Virtual Meeting Room.  
  3. Through the regulations.gov web portal by navigating to https://www.regulations.gov/ and search for Docket No. BOEM-2022-0069. Click on the “Comment” button below the document link. Enter your information and comment, then click “Submit Comment.”

  Wind Energy Area Offshore Virginia 
Wind Energy Area Offshore Virginia

Overview

A commercial lease with Virginia Electric and Power Company (dba Dominion Virginia Power) for the Virginia Wind Energy Area went into effect on November 1, 2013. The commercial lease sale (i.e., auction) for this lease was held September 4, 2013, representing the second competitive lease sale for renewable energy on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). Additional information about this lease is provided below.

Call for Information and Nominations

The OCS Lands Act requires BOEM to award leases competitively, unless BOEM determines there is no competitive interest.  On Feb. 3, 2012, BOEM published a "Call for Information and Nominations" ("Call") in the Federal Register to initiate the first step in the renewable energy leasing process offshore Virginia. The purpose of the Call was to help BOEM determine whether competitive interest exists in the Call Area. The Call also requested information from the public on issues relevant to BOEM's review of nominations for potential leasing in the area.  Click on the links below to view maps of the Virginia Call Area:

Environmental Review

AXYS WindSentinel™

On Feb. 3, 2012, BOEM also published in the Federal Register a Notice of Availability for the final Environmental Assessment (EA) and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for commercial wind lease issuance and site assessment activities on the Atlantic OCS offshore New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia.  Consultations ran concurrently with preparation of the EA and included consultations under the Endangered Species Act, Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act, section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and the Coastal Zone Management Act.

The comment period for the Virginia Call closed on March 19, 2012. In response, BOEM received eight public comment submissions and eight nominations of interest by companies wishing to obtain a commercial lease for a wind energy project.

Proposed Sale Notice

The Virginia Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) was published in the Federal Register on December 3, 2012 under Docket ID: BOEM-2012-0033. The PSN provided the proposed lease terms and conditions, as well as details regarding how the lease sale could conducted.  A 60-day comment period accompanied the notice and provided an opportunity for potential bidders to submit input to BOEM before the lease package and auction procedures were finalized. In response, BOEM received two additional qualifications packages from companies wishing to participate in the auction. Several public comments submissions were also received by BOEM in response to this notice, which are available by clicking here. BOEM also held a public seminar during this comment period to introduce potential bidders and the public to the auction format and procedures, as well as answer any questions. Information related to the PSN is provided below:

Final Sale Notice

On July 23, 2013, BOEM announced in a Final Sale Notice that a commercial lease sale (i.e., auction) will be held Sept. 4, 2013, for the Wind Energy Area (WEA) offshore Virginia. The auction represents the second competitive lease sale for renewable energy on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).

The WEA covers approximately 112,799 acres and its western edge is located about 23.5 nautical miles from the Virginia Beach coastline. It will be auctioned as a single lease and is expected to support more than 2,000 megawatts of wind generation – enough electricity to power 700,000 homes. Materials related to the Final Sale Notice are below:

The area available for auction is identical to the one announced in the Proposed Sale Notice (PSN) published in the Federal Register on Dec. 3, 2012 for a 60-day public comment period. BOEM carefully considered public comments received during this time prior to developing the Final Sale Notice, as discussed in the Response to Comments above.

Commercial Lease

The commercial lease sale for Virginia was held on September 4, 2013. At the conclusion of the sale, BOEM announced that Virginia Electric and Power Company (dba Dominion Virginia Power) was the provisional winner. The sale received $1.6 million as the high bid. In addition to Dominion Virginia Power, the other participant in the sale was Apex Virginia Offshore Wind, LLC.  A summary of bidding results is provided here.

On Nov. 1, 2013, the commercial wind energy lease with Dominion Virginia Power went into effect. The executed lease and maps of the lease area are provided below.

Site Assessment Plan

On October 12, 2017, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for Lease OCS-A 0483 (Dominion). The plan details the methods and procedures Dominion will use to collect and analyze meteorological data and information on the conditions of the marine environment within the Commercial Lease. The SAP approval allows for the installation of a WindSentinel™, a floating light detection and ranging (LiDAR) buoy. For additional information, please find the approved SAP below:

A complete Site Assessment Plan was submitted by Dominion Virginia Power to BOEM for meteorological evaluations and site assessment on March 2, 2016.

The plan details the methods and procedures Dominion will use to collect and analyze meteorological data and information on the conditions of the marine environment within the Commercial Lease. Collection of this data will be performed using a WindSentinel™, a floating light detection and ranging (LiDAR) buoy. The plan also details the installation and operation of the WindSentinel™.

Semi-annual Progress Reports

As required by Addendum C, paragraph 2.2.1 of the Lease, Dominion has a semi-annual reporting requirement and must submit to BOEM a semi‐annual (i.e., every six months) progress report through the duration of the site assessment term that includes a brief narrative of the overall progress since the last progress report, or – in the case of the first report – since the Effective Date. Please find the reports below:

On October 12, 2017, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for Lease OCS-A 0483 (Dominion). The plan details the methods and procedures Dominion will use to collect and analyze meteorological data and information on the conditions of the marine environment within the Commercial Lease. The SAP approval allows for the installation of a WindSentinel™, a floating light detection and ranging (LiDAR) buoy. For additional information, please find the approved SAP below: 

A complete Site Assessment Plan was submitted by Dominion Virginia Power to BOEM for meteorological evaluations and site assessment on March 2, 2016. 

The plan details the methods and procedures Dominion will use to collect and analyze meteorological data and information on the conditions of the marine environment within the Commercial Lease. Collection of this data will be performed using a WindSentinel™, a floating light detection and ranging (LiDAR) buoy. The plan also details the installation and operation of the WindSentinel™. 

Dominion Energy submitted its COP on December 17, 2020. BOEM will review the COP and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed activities. Updated COP versions were submitted on June 17, 2021, October 30, 2021, December 3, 202, and May 6, 2022. 

Dominion Energy intends to develop, build, operate, and own an up to 3,000 MW commercial offshore wind energy facility, also known as the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Commercial Project (CVOW-C). The project is located within federal waters on the OCS, specifically in BOEM Renewable Energy Lease Area OCS-A 0483, approximately 27 statute miles offshore Virginia Beach, Virginia.

Environmental Review 

  • The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) submitted by Dominion Energy for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Project in the Federal Register on July 2, 2021.  

The Notice of Intent initiated a 30-day public comment period that ended on August 2, 2021. 

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS)  

On Dec. 12, 2022, BOEM announced the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, offshore Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Notice of Availability and DEIS can be accessed using the links below.