Feds approve offshore wind farms off Long Branch to power NY homes

LONG BRANCH — Federal regulators approved the construction and operation of two offshore wind facilities this week, projects that would power between 700,000 and 1 million New York homes and be built off Long Branch and Long Island.

Empire Wind would cover 80,000 acres of Atlantic ocean and power about 1 million New York homes, according to the company's website. Empire Wind is a partnership between Equinor, a Norwegian energy and petroleum company, and BP, the oil and gas company formerly known as British Petroleum.

Empire Wind's facilities would be built 16.9 nautical miles (19.4 miles) east of Long Branch, according to the U.S. Department of Interior.

The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, or BOEM, which is charged with approving the project, estimates about 700,000 New York homes would benefit from Empire Wind. The agency issued a "Record of Decision" on Tuesday and approved the construction of 147 ocean wind turbines for the developer.

The Record of Decision is the final step in the environmental review process for Empire Wind from BOEM. The offshore wind developer must still receive BOEM's final approval for its Construction and Operations Plan and complete other federal and state regulatory requirements, according to the agency. Final approval of the Construction and Operations Plan is expected on Feb. 21, 2024, according to BOEM.

"Empire Wind is a defining project for New York and we continue our work to connect with communities and realize the project’s potential of providing reliable renewable power, creating jobs and spurring economic development," Molly Morris, president of Equinor Renewables Americas, said in a statement.

President Joe Biden's administration expects the two facilities to employ about 830 workers during construction and 300 jobs during operation.

The federal government has made nearly $5.5 billion so far from leasing sections of ocean to offshore wind developers, according to the Department of Interior.

BOEM's Record of Decision comes less than a month after Denmark-based offshore wind developer Ørsted announced it was halting all work on its two New Jersey projects, known as Ocean Wind 1 and Ocean Wind 2. Ørsted blamed high interest rates and supply chain disruptions for the decision.

Another New Jersey offshore wind project known as Atlantic Shores is continuing to move forward through the approval process.

Related:With Ørsted's offshore wind farms stopped, what will happen to $300M in guarantees?

A Long Branch-based environmental organization expressed concern over Empire Wind's recent approval following BOEM's announcement. Clean Ocean Action said the federal government was "fast-tracking" offshore wind projects despite a lack of scientific data on offshore wind's impacts on marine animals and ecosystems.

Empire Wind's projects "will be located at the gateway of the vital NY/NJ Harbor Estuary and the Hudson Canyon, ecosystems upon which countless marine species depend," the environmental organization said in a statement. "The projects are also sandwiched between shipping lanes entering the busiest port on the U.S. East Coast, the Port of New York and New Jersey."

The American Clean Power Association, which represents solar, wind and hydrogen energy developers, supported BOEM's Record of Decision on Empire Wind and said the projects would reinvigorate the area's ports and lead to local manufacturing.

"The benefits derived from these projects moving forward cannot be overstated," the association's Chief Advocacy Officer J.C. Sandberg said in a news release. "Not only will they create a path for a cleaner and more sustainable future, but they will also boost local economies, create jobs, and attract investments across the region."