Abstract
This Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the potential biological, socioeconomic, physical, and cultural impacts that could result from the construction and installation, operations and maintenance, and conceptual decommissioning of the Maryland Offshore Wind Project (Project) proposed by US Wind Inc. (US Wind), in its Construction and Operations Plan (COP). The proposed Project described in the COP and this Final EIS would have a capacity of up to 2,200 megawatts (MW) and would be sited offshore Maryland, within Commercial Lease OCS-A 0490 (Lease Area). The Project is designed to serve demand for renewable energy in the Delmarva Peninsula, including Maryland.
This Final EIS was prepared in accordance with the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act (42 United States Code 4321 et seq.) and implementing regulations (40 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] Parts 1500–1508). This Final EIS will inform the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management in deciding whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the COP (30 CFR 585.628). The reorganization of the Renewable Energy rules (30 CFR Parts 285, 585, and 586) enacted on January 31, 2023, reassigned existing regulations governing safety and environmental oversight and enforcement of OCS renewable energy activities from BOEM to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE).
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