Deepwater Wind Modifies Proposal for Block Island Offshore Wind Farm

Deepwater Wind Block Island, LLC and Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC are modifying their proposal in seeking a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District to construct five wind turbine generators and do other work off the southeast coast of Block Island, Rhode Island.

The Corps issued a public notice on Oct. 2, 2012 seeking public comment on the proposed Block Island Wind Farm and its associated cable called the Block Island Transmission System.

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 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. Deepwater Wind Block Island Transmission System, LLC proposes to construct the Block Island Transmission System (BITS), a 34.5-kilovolt alternating current bi-directional submarine transmission cable from Block Island to the Rhode Island mainland.

The Corps is now seeking public comments on a proposed project modification. The change consists of an alternative shore landing and buried terrestrial route for the BITS cable on the Rhode Island mainland, referred to as the Scarborough Beach Alternative. The previously proposed Narragansett Town Beach landing alternative has been eliminated from the proposed plan, along with the long-distance horizontal directional drill (HDD) landing construction option for the BIWF Export Cable and BITS Cable on Block Island.

The Corps is seeking public comments limited to the scope of the activity associated with this modification. All previous comments received regarding the offshore wind farm with its associated submarine interconnecting and transmission cables are part of the Corps’ administrative record and will be evaluated along with any additional comments received in response to this project modification notice.

Deepwater Wind has submitted an Environmental Report Modification as part of its application to the Corps with further detail on the proposed activity.

The application for the federal permit was filed with 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.

USACE, November 27, 2013