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Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) for Proposed Cape Wind Energy Project, Nantucket Sound and Yarmouth, MA Application for Corps Section 10/404 Individual Permit

Note: EPA no longer updates this information, but it may be useful as a reference or resource.

 
[Federal Register: January 30, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 20)]
[Notices]
[Page 4414-4415]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr30ja02-52]

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DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Department of the Army; Corps of Engineers
 
Intent To Prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) 
for Proposed Cape Wind Energy Project, Nantucket Sound and Yarmouth, MA 
Application for Corps Section 10/404 Individual Permit

AGENCY: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, DoD.
ACTION:  Notice of intent.

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SUMMARY: The New England District, Corps of Engineers, has received an 
application from Cape Wind Associates, LLC for a Section 10/404 
Individual Permit for the installation and operation of 170 offshore 
Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) in federal waters off the coast of 
Massachusetts on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound, with the 
transmission lines going through Massachusetts state waters. The Corps 
has determined that an EIS is required for this proposed project, 
currently the first proposal of its kind in the United States. The 
applicant's stated purpose of the project is to generate up to 420 MW 
of renewable energy that will be distributed to the New England 
regional power grid, including Cape Code and the islands of Martha's 
Vineyard and Nantucket. The power will be transmitted to shore via a 
submarine cable system consisting of two 115kV lines to a landfall site 
in Yarmouth, Massachusetts. The submarine cable system will then 
interconnect with an underground cable system, where it will 
interconnect with an existing NSTAR 115kV electric transmission line 
for distribution.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions about the proposed action 
and DEIS can be answered by Mr. Brian Valiton, Regulatory Division, 
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, 696 Virginia Road, Concord, Massachusetts 
01742-2751, Telephone No. (978) 318-8166, or by e-mail at 
Brian.e.valiton@usace.army.mil.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The proposed wind turbine array would occupy 
approximately 28 square miles in an area of Nantucket Sound known as 
Horseshoe Shoals between Nantucket

[[Page 4415]]

Island and the Cape Cod mainland. The northernmost turbines would be 
approximately 4.1 miles from the nearest land mass (Point Gammon), the 
southeastern most turbines would be approximately 11 miles from 
Nantucket, and the westernmost turbines will be approximately 5.5 miles 
from Martha's Vineyard. The array of generators was established in a 
northwest to southeast alignment to provide optimum utilization of the 
wind energy potential. The proposed submarine cable landfall location 
if Yarmouth, Massachusetts. Each wind power generating structure would 
generate up to 2.7 megawatts of electricity and would be up to 420 feet 
above the water surface. The proposed submarine cable system, 
consisting of two 115kV solid dielectric cable circuits, would be jet-
plow embedded into the seabed to a depth of approximately 6 feet. The 
foundations of the WTGs may require scour protection. Scour protection 
would require the placement of stone riprap or concrete matting on the 
seabed surface surrounding the foundation. The overland cable system 
would be installed underground within existing public rights-of-way and 
roadways in the town of Yarmouth, Massachusetts, ultimately connecting 
to an existing 115kV electric transmission line for distribution. The 
approximate construction start date for the proposed project is 2004, 
with commercial operation starting in 2005.
    Alternatives to be addressed in the EIS will include: the no action 
alternative; alternative wind park locations, including offshore vs. 
upland; submarine cable route alternatives; alternative landfall and 
overland cable route locations, and alternative connections to an NSTAR 
transmission line.
    Significant issues to be analyzed in depth in the EIS will include 
impacts associated with construction, operation, maintenance and 
decommissioning of the wind turbines on the following resources: 
recreational and commercial boating and fishing activities, endangered 
marine mammals and reptiles, birds, aviation, benthic habitat, 
aesthetics, cultural resources, radio and television frequencies, ocean 
currents, and land resources.
    Other Environmental Review and Consultation Requirements: To the 
fullest extent possible, the EIS will be integrated with analyses and 
consultation required by the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended 
(Pub. L. 93-205; 16 U.S.C. 1531, et seq.); the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery 
Conservation and Management Act, as amended (Pub. L. 94-265; 16 U.S.C. 
1801, et seq.), the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as 
amended (Pub. L. 89-655; 16 U.S.C. 470, et seq.); the Fish and Wildlife 
Coordination Act of 1958, as amended (Pub. L. 85-624; 16 U.S.C. 661, et 
seq.); the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972, as amended (Pub. L. 92-
583; 16 U.S.C. 1451, et seq.); and the Clean Water Act of 1977, as 
amended (Pub. L. 92-500; 33 U.S.C. 1251, et seq.), Section 10 of the 
Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899, 33 U.S.C. 403 et seq.); the Outer 
Continental Shelf Lands Act (Pub. L. 95-372; 43 U.S.C. 1333(e)), and 
applicable and appropriate Executive Orders. Additionally, this EIS 
will be prepared concurrently with the requirements of the 
Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (301 CMR 11.00 et seq.).
    Scoping: The Corps will conduct an open scoping and public 
involvement process during the development of the EIS. The purpose of 
the scoping meetings is to assist the Corps in defining the issues that 
will be evaluated in the EIS. Scoping meetings will be held on March 6, 
2002 starting at 1:30 pm at the JFK Federal Building, 55 New Sudbury 
St., Conference Room C, Boston, Massachusetts, and on March 7, 2002 
starting at 6:30 pm at the Mattacheese Middle School, 400 Higgins 
Crowell Rd., West Yarmouth, Massachusetts. All interested Federal, 
State and local agencies, affected Indian tribes, interested private 
and public organizations, and individuals are invited to attend these 
scoping meetings.
    The Draft EIS is anticipated to be available for public review in 
the summer of 2003.

Brian E. Osterndorf,
Col, En, Commander.
[FR Doc. 02-2217 Filed 1-29-02; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3710-24-M

 
 

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