Vineyard Wind Submits Draft Environmental Impact Report

US offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind has submitted a Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) with state regulators for its proposed 800MW wind farm off Massachusetts.

The filing advances the company’s proposal to construct the wind farm 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard while maintaining Vineyard Wind’s early timetable to begin construction in 2019 and become operational by 2021, the developer said.

The draft report was submitted to the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA), under the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

Vineyard Wind is one of three proponents competing for long-term contracts with Massachusetts’ electric distribution companies (EDCs) and the only one to begin both the state permitting process, by filing an Environmental Notification Form (ENF), as well as the federal permitting process by filing a Construction and Operations plan in December 2017.

“Vineyard Wind’s early timeline is on schedule to maximize the abundant environmental, economic and energy benefits associated with utility-scale wind energy for Bay State residents and businesses,” said Erich Stephens, Chief Development Officer of Vineyard Wind.

“The Draft Environmental Impact Report is an essential part of the permitting process and extensive environmental review that is currently underway. The process will ensure that Vineyard Wind provides substantial quantities of clean energy resources to Massachusetts while protecting the Commonwealth’s natural resources and being responsive to stakeholder input.”

Vineyard Wind will continue to refine the project design and approach as it receives additional comments from regulators and stakeholders.

With the passage of An Act to Promote Energy Diversity in 2016, Massachusetts required the state’s EDCs to procure 1,600MW of offshore wind energy within the next decade.