Federal regulators from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management are asking for public input on potential environmental impacts of a second wind farm off the coast of Block Island.
The South Fork Wind Project is being developed by Deepwater Wind, a Rhode Island-based offshore wind company that built the nation's first-ever offshore wind farm near the island.
South Fork will deliver power to Long Island, enough for about 50,000 homes.
Clint Plummer, vice president of development at Deepwater Wind, said Rhode Island won't benefit from this project's electricity, but it is helping to advance the offshore wind industry. According to Plummer, that could benefit Rhode Island workers in the future.
“By 2030, U.S. Department of Energy expects that there will be over 40,000 Americans working in the offshore wind industry in the area just between Boston and Washington, D.C.,” he said.
Plummer added that hearing from the public for this new project will be similar to the process for the Block Island Wind Farm.
“That input was factored into the final design and permits of the project as it will be on this one and that makes it a better project,” Plummer said.
Public comment on the project’s potential environmental impact will be accepted online until Nov. 19. People can also attend public meetings in Narragansett or New Bedford early next month.
South Fork is expected to be operational by the end of 2022.
