USA: Public Comment Period for Block Island Offshore Wind Farm Extended

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District has extended the public comment period until Feb. 10, 2013 for those who want to submit comments on the Deepwater Wind proposal to construct five wind turbine generators and do other work off the southeast coast of Block Island, Rhode Island.

In response to additional requests for review time and in order to more coincide with the public notice comment periods of both the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, the Corps has extended its original 45-day comment period for a second time through Feb. 10, 2013.

Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC and Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC (known collectively as Deepwater Wind) are seeking a permit from the Corps in compliance with Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act, which provides for federal regulation of any work in, or affecting navigable waters of the United States; and with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act, which regulates the discharge or fill of material in U.S. waters, including wetlands.

Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC proposes to construct and maintain the Block Island Wind Farm (BIWF), a 30-megawatt offshore wind farm located in Rhode Island state territorial waters. The BIWF will consist of five 6-megawatt wind turbine generators (WTG), a submarine cable interconnecting the five WTGs, and a 34.5-kilovolt submarine transmission cable from the northernmost WTG to an interconnection point on eastcentral Block Island where the cable will go ashore to a new substation built at the existing Block Island Power Company property.

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Press release, December 24, 2012; Image: dwwind