Commercial Leasing for Wind Power on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts-Call for Information and Nominations (Call)

BOEMRE invites the submission of nominations for one or more commercial leases that would allow a lessee to propose the construction of a wind energy project(s) on the OCS offshore Rhode Island and Massachusetts and to develop a project if further environmental review is successful. Although this announcement is not itself a leasing announcement, the area described herein may be subject to future leasing, and BOEMRE will use the responses to this Call for Information and Nominations (Call) to gauge specific interest in acquiring commercial wind leases in some or all of the area described, and to determine whether competitive interest exists in any particular area, as required by 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3). Parties wishing to submit a nomination in response to this Call should submit detailed and specific information in response to the requirements described in the section entitled, "Required Nomination Information." This announcement also requests that interested and affected parties comment and provide information about site conditions, resources and multiple uses within the area identified in this notice that would be relevant to BOEMRE's review of the nominations submitted and any subsequent decision to offer all or part of the area for commercial wind leasing. The information that BOEMRE is requesting is described below in the section entitled, "Requested Information from Interested or Affected Parties." This notice is published pursuant to subsection 8(p)(3) of the OCS Lands Act, 43 U.S.C. 1337(p)(3), as well as the implementing regulations at 30 CFR Part 285. The area under consideration for this Call (Call Area) is located on the OCS off the coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts within the Area of Mutual Interest (AMI), as described by a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Governors of Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The Call Area is divided into two areas which are separated by an existing Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS). The first section of the Call Area is northwest of the TSS beginning approximately 9 nautical miles (nmi) southeast of Point Judith, Rhode Island, and extending approximately 2 nmi seaward (Northwest section). This section of the Call Area is approximately 1.25 square nmi and contains 1 partial OCS lease block. The second section of the Call Area is southeast of the TSS beginning approximately 10 nmi south of the Newport, Rhode Island coast, and extending approximately 20 nmi seaward (Southeast section). This section of the Call Area is approximately 246 square nmi and contains 31 whole OCS lease blocks as well as 10 partial OCS lease blocks. The Call Area was identified by BOEMRE in consultation with the State of Rhode Island and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and further delineated in consultation with the BOEMRE/Rhode Island and BOEMRE/Massachusetts Renewable Energy Task Forces. A detailed description of the area and how it was identified is found later in this notice.