Bluepoint Wind (OCS-A 0537)

Efforts Underway

On March 28, 2023 Bluepoint Wind submitted a letter indicating they would not be conducting site assessment activities and will instead be using existing data. The letter is currently under BOEM review. The approval of the letter begins the site assessment term of the lease.

Background

On February 23, 2022, BOEM held a competitive lease sale offshore New York and New Jersey. Bluepoint Wind, LLC was identified as the winner of Lease Area OCS-A 0537 (71,522 acres) located in federal waters approximately 38 miles offshore New York and 53 miles offshore New Jersey.

Bluepoint Wind is in the SAP review phase within BOEM’s authorization process.

For more information on this lease area, lease history, including the Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meetings, and efforts underway for the New York Bight Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, please visit the New York Bight page. For up-to-date leasing information, including the original lease and any lease amendments that may have occurred since initial lease execution, visit the Lease and Grant Information page.

For more information on efforts to advance meaningful engagement with environmental justice communities surrounding the New York Bight, please visit Environmental Justice Forums for New York and New Jersey.

As required by the lease, Bluepoint Wind is required to develop publicly available communication plans. Additional information is provided below. 

The Native American Tribes Communication Plan describes the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with federally recognized Tribes and outlines methods for engaging with and disseminating information to federally recognized Tribes with cultural and/or historical ties to the lease area.   

The Fisheries Communication Plan describes the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with commercial and recreational fisheries prior to and during activities in support of the submission of a plan, such as a Site Assessment Plan or Construction and Operations Plan.  The plan includes information on the distribution of “Notice to Mariners” and other outreach and coordination. Additionally, the plan includes Bluepoint Wind’s Fisheries Liaison as a primary point of contact and a process to file complaints with Bluepoint Wind and seek replacement of or compensation for lost gear.  

The Agency Communication Plan describes the strategies that the Lessee intends to use for communicating with federal, state, and local agencies with authority related to the lease area. The plan outlines specific methods for engaging with and disseminating information related to permits and trust resources to these agencies. 

These communications plans may be updated and refined over time and the latest plans be found on the Bluepoint Wind’s webpage. 

As required by the lease, Bluepoint Wind, LLC is required to submit progress reports to BOEM every six months until approval of a Construction and Operations Plan. The intent of the progress report is to improve Lessee communication and transparency with Tribes and other parties, including: 

• Coastal communities 
• Commercial and recreational fishing industries 
• Educational and research institutions 
• Environmental and public interest non-governmental organizations  
• Federal, state, and local agencies 
• Federally recognized Tribes 
• General public 
• Mariners and the maritime industry 
• Ocean users 
• Submarine cable operators 
• Underserved communities, as defined in Section 2 of Executive Order 13985  

Additionally, the intent of the progress report is to encourage lessees to identify and engage with underserved communities, including environmental justice communities that may be disproportionately impacted by the Project’s offshore activities, to avoid, minimize, and mitigate potential adverse effects.  

The progress reports are available below. If you have any questions, please contact [Lessee] and the BOEM project coordinator identified below. 

Lessee point of contact: Lia Howard

BOEM project coordinator: Luke Feinberg

Progress Report 1: May 1, 2022 – October 31, 2022 

Progress Report 2: November 1, 2022 – April 30, 2023 

Progress Report 3: May 1, 2023 – October 31, 2023

On March 28, 2023, Bluepoint Wind, LLC submitted a letter indicating they would not be conducting site assessment activities and will instead be using existing data. The approval of the letter begins the site assessment term of the lease. 

Bluepoint Wind, LLC has not submitted a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for BOEM review. Once a COP is submitted, BOEM will post it here. 

BOEM is currently preparing a programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) that will analyze potential impacts from anticipated offshore wind energy development in the six New York Bight lease areas executed in May 2022. This PEIS adds another level of environmental review to the leasing and development process; additional project-specific reviews are still required prior to a project being approved, disapproved, or approved with modifications. Please visit the New York Bight Environmental Assessment page for further information.  

Bluepoint Wind, LLC has not submitted a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for BOEM review. Lease-specific environmental review based on the COP will be updated here.