Abstract
Virginia Electric and Power Company, operating as Dominion Energy Virginia (Dominion Energy), is proposing to construct, own, and operate the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) Commercial Project (Project) in the Commercial Lease of Submerged Lands for Renewable Energy Development on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Offshore Virginia (Lease No. OCS-A 0483, the Lease Area) and in coastal waters where an Offshore Export Cable Route Corridor will be established.
Within the pile driving Scope of Work, Dominion Energy intends to use impact and vibratory pile driving to install Wind Turbine Generator (WTG) Monopile Foundations and Offshore Substation Jacket Foundations (jacket foundations with pin piles).
Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) have advised that construction activities (including monopile and pin-pile installation activities) have the potential to cause acoustic harassment to marine species, in particular marine mammals.
Dominion Energy will deploy dual noise abatement systems (NAS) that are capable of achieving, at a minimum, 10 decibel (dB) of sound attenuation, during all vibratory and impact pile driving of monopiles and pin piles. A Double Big Bubble Curtain (DBBC) will be used, without being paired with another noise attenuation device, during pile-driving activities (i.e. identical layout during vibratory and impact piling) to avoid or minimize impacts on marine mammals, sea turtles, fishes, and mobile invertebrates. Dominion Energy may consider alternative technologies that are anticipated to achieve at least a similar level of attenuation.
All DBBC deployment will take place between 22m and 38m depth. For specific depth at each WTG location, reference is made to the Performance reports as per section 3.2 on reporting.