HOW DOES OFFSHORE WIND BLOW?

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MMS DEBATES OFFSHORE WIND
Kristyn Ecochard, April 10, 2007 (UPI)

WHO
Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of Interior.

WHAT
Report: The Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Alternative Energy Development and Production and Alternate Use of Facilities on the Outer Continental Shelf. Upcoming hearings and testimony regarding proposed offshore wind, wave and ocean current energy-capture technology projects. Construction of wind turbine foundations is of most concern. Operational impact is less of a concern.

WHEN
Hearings and evidence submission over the next 60 days.

WHERE
Outer Continental Shelf: 3 miles to 200 miles off Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts at depths from a few meters to thousands of meters. New England, Texas, New Jersey, Delaware and South Carolina offshore wind proposals are under scrutiny.

WHY
- Studying impacts: sediments, navigation, commercial fishing, habitats, marine life, tourism, recreation, preserved and archaeological sites.
- Testing: siting, construction, operation, decommissioning
- It is thought that by gradually increasing noise areas and avoiding areas of animal migration and travel, offshore wind projects—as well as wave and ocean current capture technology—would would have minimal adverse effects on the marine environment.
- Information gathered will be used to develop guidelines which will streamline the institution of future projects.

QUOTES
- "The draft environmental impact statement is a crucial step in developing the Alternative Energy and Alternate Use Program, and public feedback and participation at this stage of the process is vitally important," said MMS Director Johnnie Burton. "The public has a unique opportunity to influence the creation of new and promising uses of our nation's considerable ocean resources, through submission of written comments on the draft EIS or live input at upcoming hearings."
- "I think that their overall characterizations of offshore wind are accurate and consistent with those of European projects in saying that impact would be minimal and there would be considerable environmental and energy benefits," said Mark Rodgers, communications director of Cape Wind Associates.