Permitting

TIMELINE

ABOUT PERMITTING

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management

The United States’ Department of Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is the lead federal permitting agency for offshore wind. In 2015, Vineyard Wind through a competitive process, obtained the OCS-A-0501 lease area in federal waters south of Martha’s Vineyard and approximately 34 miles south of the Cape Cod mainland. In December 2017, a detailed project proposal for building Vineyard Wind 1, an 800-megawatt project, was submitted to BOEM. This Construction and Operations Plan (COP) and other documents, including visual simulations and public hearing materials can be found on BOEM’s webpage for the Vineyard Wind 1 project.

In March 2018, BOEM issued a Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement which triggered a 30-day public comment period and five public meetings held in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

In December 2018, BOEM released its initial review in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) and opened another public comment period. The purpose of the draft is to ensure the technical accuracy of all aspects review and to offer an opportunity for the public to comment. In February 2019, BOEM held a series of public meetings on Cape Cod, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, in New Bedford, Massachusetts and in Narraganset, Rhode Island. In Summer 2019, BOEM announced they planned to delay a decision on Vineyard Wind 1 to conduct a cumulative impact review of future offshore wind developments. The Supplement to the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS) was issued the following year in June 2020. A series of five virtual public meetings were held about the SEIS and over 29,000 public comments were submitted, overwhelmingly in support of moving forward with Vineyard Wind 1 and future offshore wind projects.

Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)

The MEPA Office is part of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. The MEPA Office conducts reviews of environmental impacts of development projects and other activities that require one or more state agency action.  The MEPA review process requires state agencies to study the environmental impacts, and to use all feasible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment or, to the extent damage to the environment cannot be avoided, to minimize and mitigate damage to the environment to the maximum extent practicable.

Vineyard Wind 1 filed for state review in April 2018 and submitted supplemental filings after being awarded a state contract to sell 800 megawatts to Massachusetts public utilities.  In February 2019 after an extended public comment period, Vineyard Wind 1 received certification of its final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR). This milestone allowed Vineyard Wind 1 to seek state and local permits.

Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB)

Vineyard Wind 1’s subsea transmission and electric grid interconnection in Barnstable were subject to approval by the Massachusetts Energy Facilities Siting Board EFSB.   Vineyard Wind 1 petitioned EFSB in December of 2017 and a public period was held in April 2018.  Copies of Vineyard Wind 1’s petitions were made available for public review locally at 10 town halls and libraries.

In May 2019, EFSB approved the Vineyard Wind 1 transmission cables and connection to the grid in Barnstable.

Cape Cod Commission

The Cape Cod Commission (CCC) is the regional land use planning, economic development, and regulatory agency created in 1990 to serve the citizens and 15 towns of Barnstable County, Massachusetts.  Vineyard Wind 1’s onshore cable route, substation, and a portion of the subsea transmission cable are subject to Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review by the Cape Cod Commission. Vineyard Wind 1 submitted a DRI application on February 11, 2019. The public comment period was opened in March, a public hearing was held in April, and a meeting of the full commission was held in May at which commission staff presented their review and recommendations. At this meeting, the Commission voted to approve the Vineyard Wind 1 DRI.

Martha’s Vineyard Commission

The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) is the regional planning agency for Martha’s Vineyard Island and the Elizabeth Islands (together, comprising the County of Dukes County).  A portion of Vineyard Wind 1’s subsea transmission cable is subject to Development of Regional Impact (DRI) review by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission. Vineyard Wind 1 submitted a DRI application in January 2019 with public hearings held in February and March.  In May, the Commission voted to approve the Vineyard Wind 1 DRI.

Conservation Commissions: The Towns of Barnstable and Edgartown

Conservation Commissions are responsible for ensuring compliance with the state’s Wetlands Protection Act. Vineyard Wind 1 subsea transmission cables were reviewed by Conservation Commissions in the Towns of Barnstable and Edgartown. Additionally, the Barnstable Conservation Commission reviewed the onshore transmission and grid interconnection infrastructure. Both Conservation Commissions began review of the project in Spring 2019 after the conclusion of regional review. The Town of Barnstable approved the project, and the Town of Edgartown’s review was subject to appeal and ultimately approved by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.