WASHINGTON — NOAA Fisheries has issued regulations governing the incidental taking of marine mammals during the construction of the Atlantic Shores South offshore wind energy project off the coast of New Jersey. The project, which spans federal and state waters, is part of the broader push for renewable energy and is expected to run from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2029.
The regulations, which were prompted by an application from Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, LLC, a joint venture between EDF Renewables, Inc., and Shell New Energies US LLC, allow for the incidental take of marine mammals during construction activities. The project involves two separate wind farms—Project 1 and Project 2—located within Lease Areas OCS-A-0499 and OCS-A-0570 on the Outer Continental Shelf.
NOAA’s rules prescribe permissible methods of taking marine mammals and outline requirements for minimizing impacts on marine mammal species, their habitats, and marine ecosystems. These regulations also include monitoring and reporting requirements to ensure that the project follows the guidelines established to protect marine life.
Atlantic Shores initially applied for the authorization under separate entities, but recent updates have consolidated both projects under Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, LLC, which will oversee construction for both wind farms. This development followed the segregation of the lease areas into two parts by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM).
The Atlantic Shores project is one of several large-scale offshore wind developments planned along the U.S. East Coast, a region where whale species such as the endangered North Atlantic right whale are known to migrate and feed. Environmentalists have raised concerns about the potential impact on marine life, though NOAA emphasized that the regulations are designed to minimize disruption and protect marine mammals.
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