Commercial Wind Lease Issuance and Site Assessment Activities on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Massachusetts

Overview

ID #

13245907

Document Type

Environmental Assessment

NOAA Office

National Marine Fisheries Service - Greater Atlantic Region

Document Status

Complete

Last Updated

12/19/2017

Summary

NMFS' proposed action is to issue an IHA to Orsted/Bay State Wind for incidental take of marine mammals due to their geophysical activities associated with site assessment for the construction and operation of a wind farm. Take authorization would be limited to Level B harassment of marine mammals. Mitigation measures would be in place to avoid take of North Atlantic right whales, but the applicant has requested authorization for behavioral harassment of up to two individuals out of precaution.

The applicant wishes to begin work April 1, 2018.