美国首个大型海上风电场获得批准

    中国石化新闻网讯 据OE网站6月9日报道，计划在马萨诸塞州海岸兴建的美国首个大型海上风电场，周二获得批准，期待已久的联邦环境研究报告公布，其中考虑了该项目对渔业和航运的影响。

    该文件的发布标志着Vineyard 风电项目向前迈进了一步，该项目因担心其风力涡轮机会损害商业捕鱼而经历了延误。去年宣布的美国海洋能源管理局（BOEM）的补充审查还考虑了许多此类项目的影响，原因是计划在东海岸建设的海上风电场数量不断增加。

    美国试图刺激新兴海上风电产业的发展，作为其提升国内能源生产的一部分。

    这个800兆瓦的Vineyard Wind发电厂预计将为马萨诸塞州超过40万户家庭提供足够的电力。租赁区位于离玛莎岛（Martha's Vineyard）15英里的地方。

    Vineyard Wind在一封电子邮件声明中表示，我们很高兴BOEM发布了（补充的环境影响声明），并期待与该机构和许多不同的利益相关者合作，因为我们将继续努力通过这一重要的公共流程。

    在最终完成环境影响报告书之前，BOEM将对环境审查草案进行45天的公众评议，这是项目批准前的最后一个重要里程碑。

    该草案考虑了多个项目设计，包括一个新的替代方案，该方案将增加一条船只过境通道，以简化从新英格兰港口到捕鱼区的旅行。 审查称，如果需要额外的调查工作，该选择可能会延迟项目建设。

    BOEM官员没有立即发表评论。

    Vineyard Wind是哥本哈根基础设施合作伙伴和Avangrid Inc.的合资企业。

    郝芬 译自 OE网站

    原文如下：

    First Major US Offshore Wind Farm Reaches Permitting Milestone

    The first major U.S. offshore wind farm, planned for the Massachusetts coast, reached a key permitting milestone on Tuesday with the release of a long-awaited federal environmental study that considers the project's impacts on fisheries and navigation.

    Publication of the document marks a step forward for the Vineyard Wind project, which has experienced delays over concerns that its wind turbines will hurt commercial fishing. The supplemental review by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, announced last year, also considered the impacts of many such projects due to the growing number of offshore wind farms planned for the East Coast.

    The Trump administration has sought to fire up development of the nascent offshore wind industry as part of its policy to boost domestic energy production.

    The 800-megawatt Vineyard Wind is expected to generate enough power for more than 400,000 homes in Massachusetts. The lease area is located 15 miles off the coast of Martha's Vineyard.

    “We’re pleased that BOEM has published the (supplemental Environmental Impact Statement) and look forward to engaging with the agency and the many different stakeholders as we continue to make our way through this important public process,” Vineyard Wind said in an emailed statement.

    BOEM will take public comments on the draft environmental review for 45 days before finalizing what is known as the Environmental Impact Statement, the last major milestone before project approval.

    The draft considers several project designs, including a new alternative that would add a vessel transit lane to ease travel from New England ports to fishing areas. That option could delay project construction if additional survey work is required, the review said.

    BOEM officials were not immediately available for comment.

    Vineyard Wind is a joint venture between Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Avangrid Inc.