Atlantic Shores South

What’s New?

On May 15, 2023 BOEM announced the availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the proposed Atlantic Shores South Wind Project.  

The Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Atlantic Shores South Wind Draft EIS published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2023, opening a 45-day public comment period, which ends at 11:59 p.m. ET on Jul. 3, 2023. 

During the comment period, BOEM will hold two in-person and two virtual public meetings, where the public can learn more about the review process, EIS schedule, potential impacts from the proposed project, and proposals to reduce potential impacts. There will also be an opportunity for participants to provide comments on the Draft EIS.

See “Public Meetings” below and the Atlantic Shores South Virtual Meeting Room for more information.

The input received via this process will inform preparation of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS).  

Public Meetings

The public meetings will be held on the following dates and times. All times are Eastern:  

In-person public meetings: No pre-registration is required. 

The in-person meetings will follow an informal open house format with a series of Project information posters staffed by BOEM subject matter experts who can share information with individual attendees. Attendees can ask questions one-on-one of BOEM subject matter experts. Attendees can provide written comments using a provided comment form or provide oral comments by meeting individually with a court reporter for up to five minutes each. If additional accommodations are needed, please contact boempublicaffairs@boem.gov or calling 703-787-1520 7 days prior to the in-person meeting date.  

  • Wed., Jun. 21, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.
    Holiday Inn Manahawkin/Long Beach Island, 151 Route 72 West, Manahawkin, NJ 08050 

  • Thu., Jun. 22, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.
    Atlantic City Convention Center, 1 Convention Blvd, Atlantic City, NJ 08401

Virtual public meetings: Registration for the virtual public meetings is required. 

If you require a paper copy of the Draft EIS or public meeting materials, please contact us at 702-338-4766. 

For those participating through the webinar: 

Virtual public meeting format: During each virtual meeting, BOEM will provide an overview presentation, after which members of the public may make formal oral public statements for the record.  All lines will be muted during the meeting until individuals are called on by the meeting facilitator to provide comments in front of all attendees.  Attendees can ask clarifying questions to BOEM staff through the webinar Q&A function, which will be addressed after the public statements. All comments and questions received during the public meeting will be part of the public record. 

For those participating through the phone line only: 

If you plan to participate in the meeting by phone only, we ask that you submit your questions to BOEM in advance by emailing boempublicaffairs@boem.gov or calling 703-787-1520. 

If you require a paper copy of the Draft EIS or public hearing materials, please contact us at 702-338-4766. 

How to Comment  

Comments can be submitted in the following ways:   

  1. In written form by mail, enclosed in an envelope labeled “Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South COP DEIS” and addressed to Program Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166.
  2. In written form during in-person meeting. Comment cards will be provided at in person meetings will be collected on-site.
  3. Oral or written testimony during any of the public meetings listed in the Notice of Availability and Virtual Meeting Room.  
  4. Through the regulations.gov web portal by navigating to https://www.regulations.gov/ and search for Docket No. BOEM-2023-0030.  Click on the “Comment” button below the document link.  Enter your information and comment, then click “Submit Comment.”  
     

Lease OCS-A 0499 was auctioned on November 15, 2015 through a competitive lease sale and executed with US Wind, Inc in March 2016.

On November 16, 2018, BOEM received an application from U.S. Wind Inc. to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0499 to EDF Renewables Development, Inc. BOEM approved the assignment on December 4, 2018. 

On April 29, 2019 BOEM received an application from EDF Renewables Development, Inc. to assign 100% of commercial lease OCS-A 0499 to Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC. BOEM approved the assignment on August 13, 2019. 

On September 28, 2021 Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC requested to assign 100 percent interest of the southern portion of OCS-A 0499 (which contains the Atlantic Shores South Project 1 and 2 areas) to Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, LLC and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 2, LLC, respectively, with each entity having a 50 percent interest.

On April 19, 2022 BOEM approved the request and issued a partial assignment (i.e., segregation) of lease OCS-A 0499.  The northern portion of OCS-A 0499 is retained by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC and given a new lease number, OCS-A 0549.  The southern portion retains the original lease number assigned by BOEM: OCS-A 0499 and is assigned to Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, LLC and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 2, LLC.

Lease OCS-A 0499 is commonly referred to as ASOW South and Lease OCS-A 0549 is commonly referred to as ASOW North for easier reference

On March 17, 2016 BOEM received a request from the Lessee, US Wind, Inc to extend the preliminary term for commercial lease OCS-A 0499, from March 1, 2017, to March 1, 2018. BOEM approved the request on June 10, 2016.

On January 29, 2018 BOEM received a second request from the Lessee, US Wind, Inc  to extend the preliminary term for commercial lease OCS-A 0499, from March 1, 2018, to March 1, 2019. BOEM approved the request on February 14, 2018. 

On December 8, 2019, the Lessee, Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC submitted Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for installation, operations and decommissioning of up to two  meteorological buoys.  On April 8, 2021, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management approved the SAP.  

For additional information on the SAP, please find the approved SAP and conditions of approval below:

On March 26, 2021, Atlantic Shores submitted a COP to BOEM for the southern portion of Lease OCS-A 0499. On May 3, 2023 Atlantic Shores South submitted an updated Construction and Operations Plan (COP).  The version of the of the COP informs the basis for the Draft Environmental Impacts Statement (EIS) .

Atlantic Shores South Construction and Operations Plan and Appendices

In its COP, Atlantic Shores is proposing the construction and operation of two distinct offshore wind energy projects. Combined, both projects would include up to 200 total wind turbine generators (WTGs) (between 105-136 WTGs for the first facility and between 64-95 WTGs for the second facility), up to 10 offshore substations (also called “electrical service platforms”), one  meteorological (met) tower, up to four temporary meteorological and oceanographic (metocean) buoys inter-array cables, up to two onshore substations, one operations and maintenance facility, and up to eight transmission cables making landfall at two New Jersey locations: the Atlantic Landfall site in Atlantic City, New Jersey and/or Monmouth Landfall site in Sea Girt, New Jersey.  The wind turbine generators, offshore substations, array cables, and substation interconnector cables would be located on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) approximately 8.7 miles from the New Jersey shoreline at is closest point. The offshore export cables would be buried below the seabed of both the OCS and New Jersey state waters. 

Upon conclusion of environmental reviews and consultations, BOEM will approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed activities.
 

Key Observation Points with visual simulations in the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Visual Impact Assessment
Figure 2: Key Observation Points with visual simulations in the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Visual Impact Assessment

Visual Impact Assessment 

The visual impact assessment includes photo simulations from numerous Key Observation Points (KOPs) and provides a detailed analysis of the potential visibility of the proposed Project and differences in landscape visual quality with and without the Project in place.

Photo simulations of the proposed Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Farm from all KOPs may be viewed or downloaded in the following:

Cumulative Effects Simulations may be viewed or downloaded from the DEIS Appendix H- Attachment 1 Cumulative Photo simulations.  by KOP (see figure 2 cumulative effects simulation Key Observation Points).  

Photo simulations of the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Alternatives and the corresponding Cumulative Effects Full Buildout Scenario as seen from may be viewed or downloaded from the following links:

Key Observation Points with visual simulations in the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Visual Impact Assessment
Figure 2: Cumulative effects simulation Key Observation Points

As part of the COP review, a series of time-lapse videos that depict daytime and nighttime conditions under a variety of lighting conditions (including nighttime), cloud cover, and weather scenarios. To represent nighttime conditions, the aviation obstruction lights were animated to flash at a rate of 30 flashes per minute. As discussed in Appendix M (Visual Impact Assessment) of the COP, based on past flight data and the use of Aircraft Detection Lighting Systems (ADLS), the aviation obstruction lights associated with the project would only be activated for a total of approximately 3.5 hours over a one-year period.  Links to the video simulations provided below are also in Table 2.3-1 of the visual impact assessment Appendix M. Note: If viewing on a computer monitor, use the highest screen resolution available. The simulation is at the proper perspective when viewed at a distance of approximately twice the image height. 

Cumulative Historic Resources Visual Effects Analysis (CHRVEA) 

The BOEM Cumulative Historic Resources Visual Effects Analysis (CHRVEA) provides an assessment of the Project’s contribution to cumulative visual effects on historic properties when combined with other reasonably foreseeable offshore wind energy development activities in the area. 

Appendix C of the BOEM Cumulative Historic Resources Visual Effects Analysis (CHRVEA) provides cumulative photo simulations for the project when combined with other reasonably foreseeable offshore wind development. Collectively, the views illustrate the full range of viewing angles, lighting and weather conditions, and viewing distances from open, publicly accessible vantage points throughout the entire potentially affected area. The CHRVEA and associated appendices can be accessed here: 

Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Scoping

On September 30, 2021, BOEM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind projects offshore New Jersey. The following documents are available for viewing:

The publication of the NOI initiated the public scoping process and opened a 30-day public comment period, which ended on November 1, 2021. During this time, BOEM held public scoping meetings and accepted comments. During the public comment period, BOEM hosted three virtual scoping meetings where the public could learn more about project, ask questions, and provide oral testimony. 

The virtual scoping meetings were held on:

The public scoping process was used to identify issues and potential alternatives for consideration in the EIS. Following the comment period, BOEM developed a scoping report and use the comments received during the public scoping process to help identify important resources and issues, impact-producing factors, reasonable alternatives for consideration, and potential mitigating measures that should be analyzed in the Atlantic Shores Draft EIS.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 

On May 15, 2023 BOEM announced the availability for the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Atlantic Shores South Wind Project. BOEM has prepared a DEIS for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South Project.  The following documents are available for your viewing:

Visit the Atlantic Shores South Permitting Dashboard for additional information on the environmental review and permitting processes and timeline.