The project sponsor’s delayed submission of information needed for a complete Marine Mammal
Protection Act (MMPA) Incidental Take Authorization (ITA) application has resulted in delays to the
schedule for NMFS’s issuance of the proposed ITA as well as delays to the development of complete
Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) consultation documents, the Draft
Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and all other
subsequent dependent milestones. BOEM developed an updated permitting timetable reflecting the
90-day shift to the DEIS, FEIS, and Record of Decision (ROD) milestone dates. The NEPA Action is
impacted by the milestone shifts for the ESA Action as a result of the shifts for the MMPA Action; the
NEPA timeline is changing accordingly. See the explanation for the MMPA milestone shifts for more
information.
Description:
Beacon Wind proposes to develop the entire Lease Area into two separate wind projects, known as Beacon Wind 1 (BW1) and Beacon Wind 2 (BW2). Offshore components of the Beacon Wind Project would consist of up to 155 wind turbines and up to 2 offshore substation facilities for a total of up to 157 foundations. The 157 foundations would be spaced one nautical mile by one nautical mile apart in fixed east-west rows and north-south columns. In addition, there would be up to 324 nautical miles of inter-array cable, all of which will be located in federal waters within the Lease Area. Renewable energy produced by BW1 would be delivered onshore via an up to 202 nautical-mile submarine export cable making landfall in Queens, New York. Renewable energy produced by BW2 would be delivered onshore via an up to 202 nautical-mile submarine export cable making landfall in either Queens, New York, or an up to 113 nautical-mile submarine export cable making landfall in Waterford, Connecticut. Onshore components of the Project would include submarine cable landfall areas, onshore export and interconnection cables, and onshore substation facilities.
Milestones:
PROJECT WEBSITE: Beacon Wind
All dates below are specific to the schedule of the Environmental Review and Permitting processes for this project.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING STATUS
IN PROGRESS
ESTIMATED COMPLETION DATE OF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING
01/27/2026
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW AND PERMITTING PROCESSES
COMPLETED
SECTOR
Renewable Energy Production
CATEGORY
Project Category
FAST-41 Covered Projects
LEAD AGENCY
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
View FAST-41 Postings by Agencies
Other Agencies with Actions or Authorizations:
Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Environmental Protection Agency
Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Regulatory
Department of the Army, US Army Corps of Engineers - Civil Works
Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service
Description:
Beacon Wind proposes to construct and operate an offshore wind farm to be located approximately 20 statute miles (mi) (17 nautical miles [nm], 32 kilometers [km]) south of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and 60 mi (52 nm, 97 km) east of Montauk, New York. Offshore components of the Project will consist of up to 155 wind turbines and up to two offshore substation facilities for a total of up to 157 foundations.
Update:
The Executive Director granted a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management request to extend the NEPA, COP, Section 106, ESA-FWS, ESA-NMFS, EFH, MMPA, Section 10/404, Section 408, OCS air permit and NPDES permit completion dates on March 15, 2024. The Executive Director determination is posted here.
Original Target Date: 07/01/2025
Milestone: Issuance of Lead Agency Record of Decision (Agency Action)
Requested extensions greater than 30 days for this Action are shown below:
Issuance of Lead Agency Record of Decision (Agency Action) extended by 90
From: 07/01/2025
To: 09/29/2025