Maryland Offshore Wind

Maryland Offshore Wind Map
Maryland Offshore Wind Proposed Project Design Envelope

What's New?

On September 29, 2023, BOEM announced the availability of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed Maryland Offshore Wind project. The Notice of Availability and draft EIS can be accessed using the links below. 

The Notice of Availability for the Maryland Offshore Wind draft EIS will publish in the Federal Register on October 6, 2023, opening a 45-day public comment period ending at 11:59 p.m. ET on November 20, 2023. The input received via this process informs preparation of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). 

Please see the Environmental Review tab for more information and to view the documents. 

To join an upcoming meeting, register for a virtual meeting, watch the recordings, or view the report on comments received during scoping, please visit the Virtual Meeting Room (available on October 6). 

In-Person public meetings: All times are Eastern. 

  • Tues., Oct. 24, 2023, at 5:00 p.m. 
    Ocean City Elementary  
    12828 Center Dr, Ocean City, MD 21842 
  • Thu., Oct. 26, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.  
    Indian River High School  
    29772 Armory Rd, Dagsboro, DE 19939  

Virtual public meetings: All times are Eastern. Registration for the virtual public meetings is required. (https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_x3ygygooTOSlnrzhiOJYPg)

  • Thu., Oct. 19, 2023, at 1:00 p.m.  
  • Mon., Oct. 30, 2023, at 5:00 p.m.  

Your feedback is an essential part of this process. Starting on October 6, 2023, BOEM will accept comments on scope of the draft EIS in any of the following ways: 

  • Oral or written comments during any of the public meetings listed in the Notice of Availability.   
  • You may submit written comments electronically via http://www.regulations.gov by searching for Docket No. BOEM-2023-0050 and clicking on “Comment”. Comments must be submitted by 11:59 PM ET on November 20, 2023. See this Regulations.gov How-To Guide for more instructions on how to submit and view comments and answers to frequently asked questions.    
  • You may also submit written comments by mail. Enclose your comment in an envelope labeled, “Maryland Offshore Wind DEIS” addressed to Program Chief, Office of Renewable Energy Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, Sterling, VA 20166. Comments must be postmarked no later than November 20, 2023. 
  • After the public comment period ends, you can find the comments on http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2023-0050. 

Please see the Environmental Review tab for more information and to view the documents.

Background 

On August 19, 2014, BOEM held a competitive lease sale offshore Maryland. US Wind Inc. was identified as the winner of Lease Area OCS-A 0490 (46,970 acres) located 10 nautical miles offshore Ocean City, Maryland in federal waters. Maryland Offshore Wind is in the environmental review phase within BOEM’s authorization process. This project is covered under FAST-41 and permitting progress can be found on the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council (FIPSC) dashboard.

For more information on this lease area, including Intergovernmental Renewable Energy Task Force meetings and lease history please visit the Planning and Lease Sale page. For more information on public meetings, please visit the Environmental Review tab. For up-to-date leasing information, including the original lease and any lease amendments that may have occurred since the initial lease execution, visit the Lease and Grants page.

Related Announcements  

Site Assessment Plan

On March 22, 2018, BOEM approved the Site Assessment Plan (SAP) for Lease OCS-A 0490 submitted by US Wind, Inc. The SAP approval allows for the installation of and data collection from a meteorological tower, a seabed mounted acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) sensor and a conductivity, temperature, and depth (CTD) sensor. For additional information, please find the approved SAP below:    

On October 22, 2020, US Wind, Inc. submitted a second SAP to BOEM for meteorological evaluations and site assessment. The plan details the methods and procedures U.S. Wind, Inc. will use to collect and analyze meteorological and oceanographic data and information on the conditions of the marine environment within its commercial lease. On May 5, 2021, BOEM approved the SAP for Lease OCS-A 0490, allowing for the installation of a meteorological buoy. For additional information, please find the approved SAP below:

US Wind Inc. submitted its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) on August 11, 2020. Updated COP versions were submitted on November 23, 2021; March 3, 2022; May 27, 2022; November 30, 2022; and July 28, 2023. BOEM will review the COP and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed activities.
 
US Wind Inc. intends to develop, build, operate, and own an up to 2,200 MW commercial offshore wind energy facility, also known as the Maryland Offshore Wind project. The project is located within federal waters on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), specifically in BOEM Renewable Energy Lease Area OCS-A 0490, approximately 10 nautical miles offshore Ocean City, Maryland, and approximately 9 nautical miles offshore Sussex County, Delaware.

The project includes MarWin, a wind farm of approximately 300 MW for which US Wind was awarded offshore wind renewable energy credits (ORECs) in 2017 by the State of Maryland; Momentum Wind, consisting of approximately 808 MW for which the State of Maryland awarded additional ORECs in 2021; and build out of the remainder of the Lease Area to fulfill ongoing, government-sponsored demands for offshore wind energy.

Notice of Intent to Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (NOI EIS)

On June 8, 2022, BOEM published a Notice of Intent (NOI) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Maryland Offshore Wind Project offshore Maryland and Delaware.  

The Notice of Intent initiated a 30-day public comment period that ended on July 8, 2022.

Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS)

On September 29, 2023, BOEM announced the availability of the draft EIS for the proposed Maryland Offshore Wind project. The Notice of Availability and draft EIS can be accessed using the links below.  

The NOA, available on October 6, 2023, initiates a 45-day public comment period ending at 11:59 p.m. ET on November 20, 2023. During the public comment period, BOEM will host two virtual and two in-person public meetings during which one can learn more about the project, ask questions, and provide oral testimony.