New York IDs 1 million acres off Long Island for wind power

New York State has identified more than 1 million acres of offshore waters south of Long Island for future wind power arrays as it presses for “expeditious” federal review and approval of at least four wind farms.

The areas are at least 20 miles from the Long Island and New Jersey coasts, indicating they won’t be visible from shore.

The proposed sites are recommendations to the federal agency that ultimately will identify the wind energy areas and issue long-term leases for their use, including through an auction if multiple bidders emerge.

New York plans to launch bids for offshore wind energy contracts starting in late 2018 or early 2019, according to a state report released Monday.

The state called the suggested sites the most “desirable” after months of state-funded studies, analysis and public meetings with residents, public officials and fishing groups.

The sites present the “fewest conflicts with ocean users, natural resources, infrastructure, and wildlife, and the greatest potential for the cost-effective development of offshore wind energy to meet the state’s goals,” the report says.

New York has a goal of 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030 from federal waters primarily off the Long Island coast. The report is presented as a “request” to the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), which will ultimately make the final decision on sites.

The federal agency already has issued a lease to Norway-based Statoil for a wind farm starting around 15 miles south of Long Beach, following an auction that brought a $42 million price in December.

Fishing groups sued unsuccessfully to block the auction. They continue to oppose the lease in court, saying it conflicts with scallop, squid and other vital fisheries. New York was among entities that bid unsuccessfully for that lease.

Joe Martens, a former state Department of Environmental Conservation commissioner under Cuomo who oversees the New York State Offshore Wind Alliance, an industry group, said the group was encouraged that the state was calling for projects as early as next year. “There are currently leased areas that could submit bids as early as 2018, and then the new potential lease areas can be positioned for future requests for projects,” Martens said.

Bonnie Brady, executive director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, which has joined in the lawsuit against the Statoil lease, said, “at first glance the area closest to New Jersey seems to be preferable to a lot of fishermen.” She said the group had not fully reviewed the maps, and it was “too early to tell” whether there were conflicts.

Deepwater Wind, which launched the country’s first offshore wind farm off Block Island and has inked a deal with LIPA for a second 90-megawatt farm farther east, praised the administration of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo for wind-energy expansion. “We look forward to working the State, BOEM and other stakeholders to advance New York’s offshore wind potential,” Deepwater Wind said.

By Mark Harrington

mark.harrington@newsday.comMHarringtonNews

Mark Harrington, a Newsday reporter since 1999, covers energy, wineries, Indian affairs and fisheries.