MMS Public Hearings on Cape Wind Scheduled for March

Public hearings scheduled for the Cape Wind energy project and the recently published DEIS

Four hearings scheduled March 10 through March 13, 2008

The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) is holding public hearings to obtain public comment on the recently published Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Cape Wind Energy Project.  A series of 4 public hearings are being held in Massachusetts to receive feedback on the Draft EIS.  The Draft EIS is available for review at: http://www.mms.gov/offshore/RenewableEnergy/CapeWind.htm

The Cape Wind Energy Project would be comprised of 130 wind turbine generators that could generate a maximum electric output of 468 megawatts and an average output of 182.6 megawatts. The project is proposed to be located in Nantucket Sound off the coast of Massachusetts.

The Draft EIS provides a description of the proposed action, including the construction, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning phases. A detailed analysis of the impacts of the proposed action on specific resources is presented in the document.The Draft EIS considers all reasonable alternatives to the proposed action, including a no action alternative. Seven alternatives are analyzed in detail in the Draft EIS: the proposed action at Horseshoe Shoal, no action, a smaller configuration at Horseshoe Shoal, phased development at Horseshoe Shoal, a condensed array at Horseshoe Shoal, or alternative sites at Monomoy Shoals and south of Tuckernuck Island. Following public comment, MMS will publish a Final EIS in Fall, 2008.

Scheduled hearings:

• March 10: 6pm-12am at the Mattacheese Middle School Auditorium, 400 Higgins-Crowell Road, West Yarmouth
• March 11: 5pm-10pm at the Nantucket High School Auditorium, 10 Surfside Road, Nantucket
• March 12: 5pm-10pm at the Martha's Vineyard Regional HS Auditorium, 100 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, Oak Bluffs
• March 13*: 6pm-12am at UMASS Boston, Clark Athletic Center, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, South Boston

Registration for the public hearing will begin one hour before the hearing starts.  Attendees wishing to speak will be required to sign-up at the hearing.  MMS is also accepting written comments through March, 20, 2008, which may be submitted electronically at https://ocsconnect.mms.gov/pcs-public/ or by mail to MMS Draft EIS for the Cape Wind Energy Project, TRC Environmental Corporation, Wannalancit Mills, 650 Suffolk Street, Lowell, Massachusetts 01854.

Driving directions for each venue are available here in PDF form.

* Note, location has been changed from ballroom to athletic center.