Department of the Interior
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- [Docket No. BOEM-2024-0001]
AGENCY:
Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Interior.
ACTION:
Notice of availability; request for comments.
SUMMARY:
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announces the availability of the draft programmatic environmental impact statement (PEIS) to analyze the potential impacts of wind energy development in six lease areas of the New York (NY) Bight. The PEIS also identifies possible changes in those impacts that could result from adopting certain avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and monitoring (AMMM) measures (the Proposed Action). This notice of availability (NOA) announces the start of the public review and comment period and the dates and times for public meetings on the draft PEIS. After the public comment period and meetings, BOEM will address the issues raised and will publish a final PEIS. The final PEIS will inform BOEM's decision whether to adopt certain AMMM measures at this stage that would potentially be required as conditions of approval for activities proposed by NY Bight lessees in their construction and operations plans (COPs) or defer the decision to adopt such measures to each project-specific environmental review.
DATES:
Comments must be received no later than February 26, 2024. BOEM will conduct a total of five virtual and in-person public meetings. BOEM's public meetings will be held at the following times (all times Eastern):
- January 31, 2024, 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., virtual meeting;
- * February 5, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, The Marketplace, MacLean Campus Center, 285 Old Westport Rd., North Dartmouth, MA 02747;
- * February 7, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Stony Brook University, Bauman Center for Leadership and Service, Benedict D013, Room C029, 200 Circle Rd., Stony Brook, NY 11790;
- * February 8, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m., Clarion Hotel Toms River, 815 Route 37 West, Toms River, NJ 08755; and
- February 13, 2024, 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., virtual meeting. ( printed page 2250)
* In the event the in-person public meetings are cancelled due to inclement weather, they will be replaced with a single virtual meeting on February 8, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.
Registration for the public meetings may be completed on the NY Bight website here: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/new-york-bight or by calling (202) 517-1249. Registration for the virtual meetings is required. Registration for the in-person public meetings is voluntary but strongly encouraged. Meeting information will be sent to registrants via their email address provided during registration. In the event of inclement weather, in-person public meetings will be replaced with one virtual meeting on February 8, 2024, 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. This inclement weather notification and the virtual meeting link will be shared with registrants via their email address provided during registration. BOEM will also send a Notice to Stakeholders, post on the NY Bight website, and share on BOEM's digital media accounts.
ADDRESSES:
The draft PEIS can be found on the NY Bight website at: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/new-york-bight. Comments can be submitted in any of the following ways:
- Orally or in written form during any of the public meetings identified in this NOA.
- In-Person Meetings: BOEM will follow an informal, open house format with a series of informational posters staffed by BOEM subject matter experts who can share information with individual attendees and answer questions one-on-one. Attendees can submit formal public comments for the record by submitting comments on laptops through the regulations.gov web portal, via handwritten comment cards, or by individually recording oral comments. If additional accommodations are needed, please contact boempublicaffairs@boem.gov or call (202) 517-1249 at least 7 days prior to the in-person meeting date.
- Virtual Meetings: BOEM will provide an overview presentation. Afterwards, members of the public may make formal, oral public statements for the record. The meeting facilitator will mute the audience during the meeting until individuals are called on to provide comments in front of all attendees. Attendees can ask clarifying questions to BOEM staff through the webinar Q&A function, which will be explained after the public statements.
- All comments and questions received during the five public meetings will be part of the public record.
- Delivered by mail or delivery service, enclosed in an envelope labeled, “NY BIGHT PEIS” and addressed to Chief, Division of Environmental Assessment, Office of Environmental Programs, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OEP, Sterling, Virginia 20166; or
- Through theregulations.gov web portal: Navigate to https://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket No. BOEM-2024-0001. Select the document in the search results on which you want to comment, click on the “Comment” button, and follow the online instructions for submitting your comment. A commenter's checklist is available on the comment web page. Enter your information and comment, then click “Submit.”
For more information about submitting comments, please see “ Information on Submitting Comments ” under the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION heading below.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jill Lewandowski, BOEM Office of Environmental Programs, 45600 Woodland Road, VAM-OEP, Sterling, Virginia 20166, (703) 787-1703 or jill.lewandowski@boem.gov.