The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) will begin conducting an environmental review of the construction and operations plan submitted by Vineyard Wind, LLC, for its Vineyard Wind South wind project for offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts. If the plan is approved by BOEM, Vineyard Wind will build and operate an approximately 2,000-to-2,300-MW wind energy facility to be developed in phases. This wind farm was the first large-scale offshore wind project approved by the US government.

The proposed project includes up to 130 wind turbine generators, two to five offshore substations, inter-array cables, and up to five export cables connecting to the onshore electric grid in Barnstable County, Massachusetts at up to three onshore substations. It would be located about 20 statute miles offshore the southwestern corner of Martha’s Vineyard and 24 statute miles offshore Nantucket.

A public comment period is now open until 11:59 pm Eastern time on July 30, 2021. BOEM will hold public scoping meetings and accept comments to inform the preparation of its environmental impact statement.