The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted a Clean Air Act permit for the Empire Wind 1 project, a joint venture between Equinor and BP, set offshore New York.
The permit follows a comprehensive air quality analysis conducted by the EPA, which determined that the primary air quality impacts of the project will be during construction and primarily offshore in the vicinity of the project.
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According to the analysis, the construction and operation of the project will not lead to a violation of federal air quality standards. This decision aligns with other federal approvals, including the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management's Record of Decision, emphasizing a coordinated effort in greenlighting the initiative.
The Empire Wind 1 project encompasses the installation of up to 147 offshore wind turbines, two offshore substations, and the requisite cables for electricity transmission. Notably, the onshore components of the project are subject to separate federal, state, and local permitting processes.
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With offshore construction slated to commence in 2024, the project aims for completion within four years. Regional Administrator Lisa Garcia expressed EPA's satisfaction in collaborating with New York state to advance towards a clean energy future.
Once operational, the project is anticipated to generate over 2000MW of electrical power, potentially supplying energy to approximately a million homes in New York State.
