PERMITTING & DOCUMENTS
The New England Wind 2 project, formally known as Commonwealth Wind, is subject to permitting, review, and consultations with different agencies at the federal, state, regional, and local levels as well as with Tribal Nations.
Federal Permitting
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The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) manages the responsible development of America’s offshore energy and mineral resources. The bureau promotes energy independence, environmental protection and economic development through responsible, science-based management of energy and mineral resources on the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf (OCS).
For all documents related to federal permitting, please visit BOEM’s website here.
Documents
New England Wind 2 Construction & Operations Plan (COP) Approval Letter - July 2024
New England Wind (OCS-A 0534) Construction and Operations Plan (COP)
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The Office of Coastal Zone Managemet is the lead policy, planning, and technical assistance agency on coastal and ocean issues within the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) and implements the state’s coastal program under the federal Coastal Zone Management Act.
Documents
New England Wind Federal Consistency Determination - November 2023
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The Coastal Resources Management Council is a management agency with regulatory functions. Its primary responsibility is for the preservation, protection, development and where possible the restoration of the coastal areas of the state via the implementation of its integrated and comprehensive coastal management plans and the issuance of permits for work with the coastal zone of the state.
Documents
New England Wind Federal Consistency Determination - October 2023
New England Wind 2 is being federally permitted as part of Phase 2 of a phased development called New England Wind.
More information can be found on the New England Wind’s United States Federal Permitting Dashboard.
Massachusetts Permitting
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The Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB) is an independent state board that reviews proposed large energy facilities including power plants, electric transmission lines, intra-state natural gas pipelines, and natural gas storage tanks. To obtain EFSB approval, a proposed facility must demonstrate that it would provide a reliable energy supply, with a minimum impact on the environment, at the lowest possible cost. The Department of Public Utilities (DPU) administratively supports the work of the EFSB and its staff, but the nine-member EFSB makes its decisions independently. EFSB staff also conducts DPU siting-related cases that do not fall within the EFSB’s jurisdiction.
Documents
New England Wind 2 Connector - Petition Before the Energy Facilities Siting Board - November 2022
New England Wind 2 Connector - Supplemental Analysis to Support Petition Before the Energy Facilities Siting Board - May 2023
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The MEPA review process provides meaningful opportunities for public review of potential environmental impacts of certain projects for which certain actions by state agencies are required. It requires state agencies to study the environmental impacts of projects requiring state permitting, financial assistance or land disposition, and to use all feasible measures to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment or, to the extent damage to the environment cannot be avoided, to minimize and mitigate damage to the environment to the maximum extent practicable.
Documents
Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) Certificate - October 2023
Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)
Environmental Notification Form (ENF) Certificate - December 2022
New England Wind 2 is currently undergoing a state-level permit review process in Massachusetts as part of Phase 2 of a phased development called New England Wind.
Regional Permitting
New England Wind 2 is currently undergoing a regional-level permit review process in Massachusetts as part of Phase 2 of a phased development called New England Wind.
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The Martha's Vineyard Commission (MVC) is the regional planning agency for Martha’s Vineyard Island and the Elizabeth Islands (together, comprising the County of Dukes County).
Commonwealth Wind is subject to review as a Development of Regional Impact (DRI) to the Commission. The DRI Application project materials may be accessed for review here.
Documents
Development of Regional Impact Notice of Intention - November 2023
Local Permitting
New England Wind 2 is currently undergoing a local-level permit review process in Massachusetts as part of Phase 2 of a phased development called New England Wind.
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The Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act (the Act) requires that no person shall remove, dredge, or alter any bank, freshwater or coastal wetlands, beach, dunes, flat, marsh, meadow or swamp bordering on any resource area as defined in the Act without filing written notice of the intention to perform such work with the Conservation Commission of the Town in which the land is located and receiving a permit from the Commission to perform the work. This mandated authority was reinforced by the 1963 Annual Town Meeting which authorized the establishment of a Conservation Commission for the town. Since that time the Town of Nantucket has developed a Wetlands Bylaw (Chapter 136) to provide further local control.
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