Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for Commercial Wind Lease OCS-A 0499

This Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) assesses the potential impacts on physical, biological, socioeconomic, and cultural resources that could result from the construction and installation, operations and maintenance (O&M), and conceptual decommissioning of two wind energy facilities (Project 1 and Project 2). Collectively these projects are referred to as the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind South Project (Atlantic Shores South) as proposed by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 1, LLC (Atlantic Shores Project 1 Company) and Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Project 2, LLC (Atlantic Shores Project 2 Company) in its Construction and Operations Plan (COP) (Atlantic Shores 2024). As Atlantic Shores (Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, LLC) is the owner and an affiliate of both the Atlantic Shores Project 1 Company and the Atlantic Shores Project 2 Company, for ease of reference, the term “Atlantic Shores” is used throughout the Final EIS to refer interchangeably to the Project Companies.1 The COP and its appendices are incorporated in this Final EIS by reference and available on BOEM’s website: https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/atlantic-shores-…. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has prepared the Final EIS under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) (42 U.S. Code [USC] 4321–4370f). This Final EIS will inform BOEM’s decision on whether to approve, approve with modifications, or disapprove the Project’s COP.

Cooperating agencies may rely on this Final EIS to support their decision-making. In conjunction with submitting its COP, Atlantic Shores (the Applicant) applied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) for an incidental take authorization under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) of 1972, as amended (16 USC 1361 et seq.), for incidental take of marine mammals during Project construction. Under the MMPA, NMFS is required to review applications and, if appropriate, issue an incidental take authorization. NMFS intends to adopt the Final EIS if, after independent review and analysis, NMFS determines the Final EIS to be sufficient to support its separate proposed action and decision to issue the authorization if appropriate. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) similarly intends to adopt the Final EIS to meet its responsibilities under Sections 10 and 14 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1899 (RHA), Section 404 of the Clean Water Act (CWA), and Section 103 of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (MPRSA).

Volume II:  Appendices

• Appendix A:  Required Environmental Permits and Consultations
• Appendix B:  Supplemental Information and Additional Figures and Tables  
• Appendix C:  Project Design Envelope and Maximum-Case Scenario  
• Appendix D:  Planned Activities Scenario
• Appendix E:  Analysis of Incomplete or Unavailable Information  
• Appendix F:  Assessment of Resources with Minor (or Lower) Impacts  
• Appendix G:  Mitigation and Monitoring
• Appendix H: Seascape, Landscape, and Visual Impact Assessment (SLVIA) (Note:  Images in this file were processed to be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, resulting in lower resolution visual simulations.  High resolution visual simulations can be found directly below.)  
  • Cumulative Visual Simulations in high resolution format  
    • Cumulative Visual Simulations Part 1 
    • Cumulative Visual Simulations Part 2 
    • Cumulative Visual Simulations Part 3
  • Visual Simulations of Action Alternatives in high resolution format
• Appendix I: Finding of Adverse Effect for NHPA Section 106 Consultation  
• Appendix J: References Cited  
• Appendix K: Glossary  
• Appendix L: List of Preparers and Reviewers
• Appendix M: Distribution List  
• Appendix N: Responses to Comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement