Wind energy is clean and best of all, inexhaustible. As the wind blows, it turns the blades of the turbines, which cause a power train to produce a current. This current is carried by underwater cables to an offshore substation and then brought to land through another cable that is connected to the existing power grid on land. And all of this is done without burning fossil fuels.

Offshore wind energy is popular in Europe, but no offshore wind farms have been constructed in the United States or North America yet. This project would be one of the first, if not the first, in the United States (another project is planned for Nantucket Sound). Several scientific studies of offshore European wind farms are being conducted, but as of yet, there are very few negative environmental impacts. Bird strikes are low and the bases of turbines actually attract marine life. Studies have shown that invertebrates colonize the bases of turbines, in turn attracting fish. These artificial reef systems can act as nursing grounds for fish and invertebrates and are popular areas for fishermen who use fixed gear types (pots and traps).

The Long Island Power Authority (LIPA) has taken a large step in the direction of renewable energy with the proposal of an offshore wind farm and has recently released a request for proposals for a developer to build one along the south shore of Long Island. The wind farm would consist of 25 – 50 turbines that could produce 100 - 140 megawatts of power for the island. Turbines would be located in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately three miles from shore, and in approximately fifty feet of water.

EEA, along with other environmental consultants, has conducted a preliminary study of the entire south shore to locate possible sites for an offshore wind farm. EEA wrote a section of a desktop study that describes the natural resources on the south shore of Long Island and addresses sensitive issues involved in the building of an offshore wind farm. Possible locations were analyzed using physical, geological, biological, socio-economic, and archaeological data, and after careful consideration, the most practical location for the offshore wind farm was south of Jones Island. This location has wind speeds necessary to turn the turbines, water shallow enough to accommodate the construction of turbines, does not have rare archaeological artifacts or marine species, and is farther west of some of the more heavily used commercial fishing grounds. 

However, one of the most sensitive issues in offshore construction is the loss of trawling grounds for commercial fishermen. Commercial fishermen say that they trawl the waters off Jones Island and the construction of turbines would displace their fishing operations. EEA is now working with the Montauk Fishermen’s Association to try to work through this issue and alleviate some of their concerns.

LIPA plans to have the entire operation up and running in 2007. This offshore wind initiative has the support of several public interest and environmental groups including: the Citizens’ Advisory Panel, Sustainable Energy Alliance, Long Island Neighborhood Network, NRDC, and Campaign for the Environment, to name a few. LIPA has also retained the services of consultants and counsel including: AWS Scientific, AEG Inc., EEA Inc., Navigant Consulting Inc., and EnviroLaw to lead it through the legal, permitting, and environmental aspects of the initiative. The offshore wind initiative is an exciting step for Long Island and EEA is glad to be part of this environmentally beneficial project.