OFFICIAL SITE OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY
Offshore Wind Project Areas
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is the lead federal agency for all offshore wind projects located within federal waters. BOEM facilitates lease sales of OCS blocks for the development of offshore wind energy facilities. There are currently three offshore leases with projects in development off the coast of New Jersey. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) is tasked with permitting all aspects of the projects within state waters three (3) nautical miles of New Jersey’s coastline.
“From rising seas that threaten our coastline to higher temperatures that endanger the health of our most vulnerable residents, climate change is already impacting New Jersey, and we must act to reduce its adverse effects. Through the responsible development of offshore wind facilities, we can protect our aquatic and coastal resources and the communities who rely upon them while taking bold action to address the climate crisis by reducing emissions from fossil-fuel dependent energy sources. Alongside our interagency colleagues and stakeholders, the Department of Environmental Protection will play an important role in advancing this critical work in the years ahead.”
Ocean Wind 1
Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 lease area (OCS-A 0498) is located approximately 15 miles off New Jersey’s coast. On June 21, 2019 the NJBPU announced that Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 Project was awarded a solicitation for 1,100 MW offshore wind project. This 1,100 MW project has the potential to power nearly half a million homes in New Jersey.
More information on Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 1 project.
More information on BOEM Lease area OCS-A 0498.
BOEM NEPA Process
Ocean Wind 1’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP) was submitted to BOEM on August 15, 2019, with updated versions submitted on March 13, 2020, September 24, 2020, and March 24, 2021. BOEM will review the COP and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed activities. On March 30, 2021, BOEM published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Ocean Wind 1. The Notice of Intent initiates a 30-day public comment period and triggers the beginning of the State’s review process under a Federal Consistency review. On June 24, 2022, BOEM published a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Ocean Wind 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS). The Ocean Wind 1 DEIS can be viewed here.
On May 22, 2023 BOEM announced the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed Ocean Wind 1 wind energy project offshore New Jersey.
The Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Ocean Wind 1 FEIS for Ocean Wind LLC’s Proposed Wind Energy Facility was published in the Federal Register on May 26, 2023.
- Ocean Wind 1 FEIS Notice of Availability (BOEM-2023-0029)
- Ocean Wind 1 FEIS
- Ocean Wind 1 Construction and Operations Plan
- Cumulative Historic Resources Visual Effects Analysis
On July 5, 2023, the Department of the Interior announced the approval of the construction and operation of the Ocean Wind 1 project offshore New Jersey. The ROD documents the decision to approve Ocean Wind LLC’s plan to construct up to 98 wind turbines and up to three offshore substations within its Lease Area.
- Ocean Wind 1 ROD
- Ocean Wind 1 ROD Notice of Availability (BOEM-2023-0029)
NJDEP Permitting
On April 27, 2023, the NJDEP approved an application for a CAFRA Individual Permit, Waterfront Development Individual Permit, Coastal Wetlands Permit and Freshwater Wetlands Individual Permit for the Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind project within the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (“BOEM”) Lease Area OCS-A 0498 off the coast of New Jersey. The work proposed under this State permit application within State waters and onshore includes the installation of electric transmission cables to the B.L. England substation and the Oyster Creek substation, associated infrastructure along the cable routes including manholes, duct banks, and transition joint bays (TBJ’s), the construction of two onshore substations, and maintenance dredging of Oyster Creek Federal Channel.
Additionally, NJDEP issued a Federal Consistency Certification on April 27th for the portion of the project in federal waters which includes the construction of up to 98 wind turbine generators within Lease Area OCS-A 0498, up to three (3) offshore alternating current substations, array cable installations linking the individual turbines to the offshore substations, and substation interconnector cables linking two of the three substations to each other.
These are the primary NJDEP permits which authorize construction of the Ocean Wind 1 project. It is anticipated that the project will also need NJPDES stormwater management and dewatering permits related to onshore construction. The NJDEP has not yet received applications for those activities.
NJDEP Permits and Federal Consistency Certification
NJDEP State permit .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 BL England Plans – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Grading & Drainage Plan – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 HDD Plans – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Plans – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Oyster Creek Plans – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Post Dev SW Plan – Stamped .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 State Permit Env Report .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Response to Comments .
NJDEP Federal Consistency Certification letter, signed .
NJDEP Ocean Wind 1 Fed Con Env Report .
NJDEP and Ocean Wind 1 Letter of Intent .
NJDEP Comment Letters
NJDEP Comments on Ocean Wind LLC’s Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement .
NJDEP Comments on the Ocean Wind 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement .
Federal Consistency Stay Agreement
Atlantic Shores
Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC is a 50:50 partnership between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDF Renewables North America. Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind proposes to develop a 183,353 acre lease area (OCS-0499) off the coast of New Jersey. Their lease area is approximately 10 miles off New Jerseys coast with the potential for turbines to be located between 10-20 miles offshore. Atlantic Shores has the potential to power nearly 1 million homes.
On April 8, 2021 BOEM approved Atlantic Shores Site Assessment Plan (SAP). On March 25, 2021, Atlantic Shores submitted their COP which is currently under review with BOEM. On June 30, 2021 the NJBPU awarded Atlantic Shores OREC’s for their 1,509.6 MW Project. On May 15, 2023 BOEM announced the availability for the draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for the proposed Atlantic Shores South Wind Project. The Notice of Availability (NOA) for the Atlantic Shores South Wind DEIS was published in the Federal Register on May 19, 2023 and opened a 45-day public comment period, which ended on July 3, 2023. The DEIS can be found here. The wind turbines are expected to begin generating power in 2028.
More information on Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind project.
More information on BOEM Lease area OCS-A 0499.
NJDEP Comment Letters
NJDEP Comments on Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC .
NJDEP Comments on the Atlantic Shores South Draft Environmental Impact Statement .
Federal Consistency Stay Agreement
Ocean Wind 2
On December 8, 2020, Ocean Wind LLC submitted an application to BOEM to assign a portion of lease #OCS-A 0498 to Orsted North American Inc. BOEM approved the assignment on March 26, 2021. The lease area assigned to Orsted North America Inc. now carries the new lease number #OCS-A 0532 and is being developed under the project name “Ocean Wind 2”. On June 30, 2021 the NJBPU awarded OREC’s to Ocean Wind for their 1,148 MW Ocean Wind 2 project which will be located in lease area #OCS-A 0532.
Ocean Wind 2 anticipates submitting their Construction and Operations Plan (COP) to BOEM in early 2023. The wind turbines are expected to begin generating power in 2028.
More information on Ørsted’s Ocean Wind 2 project.
More information on BOEM Lease area OCS-A 0532.
Empire Wind
On July 18, 2019, New York awarded OREC’s for Equinor’s 816 MW Empire Wind 1 Project. On January 13, 2021, New York awarded OREC’s for Equinor’s 1,260 MW Empire Wind 2 Project. The two projects combined propose up to 147 wind turbines and up to 2 offshore substations with two cable routes located within Lease Area OCS-A-0512, which is located approximately 19.5 miles (16.9 nautical miles) east of Long Branch, New Jersey and 14 miles (12 nautical miles) south of Long Island, New York. In total the Project is expected to generate 2,076-megawatts of clean, renewable energy. Once constructed will build out the entire OCS-A 0512 lease area.
More information on Equinor’s Empire Wind projects.
More information on BOEM Lease area OCS-A 0512.
BOEM NEPA Process
Empire Wind submitted its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) on January 10, 2020 with an updated version submitted on April 14, 2021. BOEM will review the COP and approve, disapprove, or approve with modifications the proposed activities. On June 24, 2021 BOEM published a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for Empire Wind 1 & 2. The Notice of Intent initiated a 30-day public comment period and triggered the beginning of the State’s review process under a Federal Consistency review. On November 18, 2022, BOEM announced the availability of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS) for the proposed Empire Wind energy project offshore New York. On Sep. 11, 2023, BOEM announced the availability of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (Final EIS) for the proposed Empire Wind project offshore New York.
- Notice of Intent to Prepare an EIS
- Empire Wind Construction and Operations Plan and Appendices
- Empire Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Draft EIS)
- Empire Wind Final EIS
NJDEP Federal Consistency
On June 24, 2021, Empire Offshore Wind LLC (“Empire Wind”) submitted to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (“NJDEP”) a federal consistency certification and a copy of the Construction and Operation Plan (“COP”) for the proposed construction and operation of the wind energy projects. Although neither Empire Wind project will be connecting its power to New Jersey’s electrical grid, Empire Wind voluntarily submitted the consistency certification to NJDEP to review for any reasonably foreseeable effects of the Project on coastal use or resources for consistency with the enforceable policies of the New Jersey Coastal Zone Management Program. On September 15th, 2023, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Division of Land Resource Protection (Division) issued a Federal Consistency Certification for the Empire Wind project. The Division concurs with Empire Wind’s consistency certification that the project is consistent with the enforceable policies of the New Jersey Coastal Zone Management Program, N.J.A.C. 7:7-1.1 et seq., (last amended on October 5, 2021). The Division’s Federal Consistency concurrence decision is based upon the information contained in BOEM’s Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), Empire Wind’s Construction and Operations Plan (COP), including Empire Wind’s commitment to measures intended to avoid, minimize, and mitigate the reasonably foreseeable effects associated with the project, consistent with N.J.A.C. 7:7-1.1 et seq., including N.J.A.C. 7:7-16.2.
Empire Wind Federal Consistency Certification Letter
Empire Wind Federal Consistency Analysis
Empire Wind and NJDEP Letter of Intent
NJDEP Comment Letters
NJDEP Comments on the Empire Wind Draft Environmental Impact Statement .
New Jersey Wind Port
The New Jersey Wind Port is a 200+ acre transformative, hub-style marshalling and manufacturing port project that will serve offshore wind projects in New Jersey and the Mid-Atlantic.
The port will be the first purpose-built, greenfield port for offshore wind on the East Coast, with no vertical restrictions and easy access to more than 50 percent of the available US offshore wind lease areas.
Phase 1 construction is slated to begin in 2021 and will be completed by 2023, in time to support the first round of New Jersey and East Coast projects.
More information on the New Jersey Wind Port.
NY Bight
In support of BOEM’s priorities to advance domestic energy production, generate revenue, and increase job opportunities nationwide, BOEM is moving forward with wind energy planning efforts on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the New York Bight region, which represents an area of shallow waters between Long Island (to the north and east) and the New Jersey coast (to the south and west).
On June 11, 2021, the Department of the Interior announced a proposed sale notice for offshore wind development on the Outer Continental Shelf in the New York Bight. On Jan. 12, 2022, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland announced that BOEM will hold a wind energy auction on Feb. 23, 2022, for more than 480,000 acres in the New York Bight. This will be the first offshore wind energy auction under the Biden-Harris Administration. The auction will allow offshore wind developers to bid on six lease areas – the most areas ever offered in a single auction – as described in BOEM’s Final Sale Notice. Leases offered in this sale could result in 5.6 to 7 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, enough to power nearly 2 million homes.
Overview Map of the NY Bight Proposed Lease Areas
For more information on the NY/NJ Bight Wind Energy Areas.
For more information on the NJ Comments, See December 2018 State of NJ Comments on Proposed Wind Energy Areas.