Empire Wind

Empire Wind believes that from the outset, measures to avoid or mitigate adverse environmental impacts, while maximizing the positive beneficial environmental impacts of an offshore wind energy project, should be:

• Identified and developed in consultation and coordination with the relevant stakeholders;
• Based on robust baseline characterization that has been developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders;
• Based on evidence and the latest science, and where data gaps exist or the receptor-effect interactions are unknown, such gaps should be filled through targeted data collection, monitoring, and/or research;
• Incorporated into spatial planning, for example, in project siting and design; and
• Applied to how the project is implemented (surveys, construction methods, operations and maintenance activities, and decommissioning).

Empire Wind recognizes the importance of adaptive management and will continue to improve and mature its procedures for evaluating and mitigating impacts to environmental resources.

Key environmental issues for the Empire Wind Project are the following: 

Marine mammals and sea turtles

Empire Wind protects marine mammals and sea turtles through: 

• Stringent mitigation measures – the project implements stringent mitigation measures to minimize impacts, such as noise abatement, and vessel speed restrictions;
• Collaboration with marine scientists – By working closely with organizations like Wildlife Conservation Society and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the project relies on best available science to inform its decisions;
• Implementation of sophisticated technology – Empire Wind deploys sophisticated monitoring technology such as passive acoustic monitoring buoys and infrared cameras to detect the presence of protected species in the project area.  

Birds and bats

Empire Wind has assessed risk to birds and bats through surveys and risk assessment. Overall, Project activities are unlikely to affect bat populations. For marine birds, terns are the only species that have a moderate risk of exposure to the Project and will be most exposed during spring migration.  For onshore project components, impacts to birds will largely be avoided. Federally listed bird species that may be exposed to the Project include the Red Knot and the Piping Plover, however, the risk of impact is determined to be low. The Project has developed a post-construction monitoring framework for birds and bats to be implemented once turbines are operational.  It will install bird perching-deterrent devices on wind turbines and the offshore substation, and has designed the lighting system to minimize impacts to birds. A compensatory mitigation plan is also being developed to offset take of Piping Plovers and Red Knots.

Fish, Invertebrates and their Habitats

The following is a list of some of the mitigations measures to minimize impact to fish, invertebrates and their habitats: 

• Empire Wind has incorporated input from regulatory authorities, the fishing industry, and maritime industry to site foundations and cable routes in the least impactful manner that is practicable.
• Empire Wind has, to the extent possible, avoided sensitive benthic habitats.
• Empire Wind will implement mitigation and avoidance measures to protect water quality, such as spill prevention. Specifically, Empire Wind will use appropriate measures for vessel operation and implementing an OSRP, which includes measures to prevent, detect, and contain accidental release of oil and other hazardous materials. Project personnel is trained in accordance with relevant laws, regulations, and Project policies, as described in the OSRP.
• Empire Wind commits to sufficiently bury electrical cables where feasible, minimizing seabed habitat loss and reducing the effects of EMF; where deep burial is not technically feasible, rock armoring will shield the cable from the overlying water.

Empire Wind 1 has developed agreements with two regional non-profit entities to procure and manage the required regional research activities: the Regional Wildlife Science Collaborative for Offshore Wind (RWSC) and Regional Offshore Science Alliance (ROSA).