Second District Congresswoman Elaine Luria and U.S. Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine are urging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management to expedite regulatory processes for offshore wind development in Coastal Virginia.
“Virginia’s diverse maritime industry, workforce, port assets, deep, wide channels, and no overhead obstructions have positioned the Commonwealth to become a hub for manufacturing and ongoing operations and maintenance activities for projects along the Atlantic Coast,” the lawmakers wrote in the letter. “We are proud that the first two wind turbines permitted and constructed in federal waters are off our Commonwealth’s coast, producing clean energy for Virginians. Unfortunately, we have heard from local stakeholders and constituents that the adjacent Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project is at risk of delays due to the backlog at BOEM.”
In December, Dominion Energy filed a Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for the 2,640-megawatt Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind commercial project. In the letter, the lawmakers expressed concerns that bottlenecks in the permitting process may slow progress and prevent offshore wind investments.
Currently, offshore wind developers have submitted thirteen COPs to BOEM but have yet to receive a clear timeline for action. This backlog could stifle the development of an offshore wind industry supply chain.
The full text of the letter is available here.
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Chris Graham
