Long Island Construction Law does not own this content. This content was created by David Winzelberg and was published to the Long Island Business News on December 9th, 2021.
The New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) announced that nearly $1.3 million is available to support data collection in the New York Bight wind energy areas to reduce environmental risks and inform planning for future development.
The region’s offshore wind power capacity will be expanding in the New York Bight, a large triangular-shaped area of the water that stretches from Cape May, N.J. to Montauk Point, where leases are being auctioned.
The New York Bight areas have the potential to unlock 10 to 15 gigawatts of power, enough to power more than 2.6 million homes, according to industry estimates.
NYSERDA seeks to identify contractors to develop acoustic and oceanographic surveys to collect and analyze field data and conduct site assessment work in the New York Bight areas, as identified by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. The survey data will help the state better understand marine mammal presence, habitat use, distribution and seasonal movement, as well as the oceanographic characteristics associated with marine wildlife and the New York Bight’s Cold Pool, a layer of cold water that forms annually and is vital to the life cycle of many marine species, including commercial fisheries.
The surveys aim to provide critical information to developers, regulators and stakeholders, reduce project risk, help inform construction windows and permits and accelerate project timelines, according to a NYSERDA statement.
“Data collection is an essential piece of the responsible, cost-effective development and implementation of New York’s offshore wind strategy under Governor Kathy Hochul, and this endeavor will build on our long-standing effort to characterize the NY Bight seafloor,” Doreen Harris, NYSERDA president and CEO, said in the statement. “Data collected through this process will help avoid risks to marine life while providing critical information on marine activity and will enable us to work even more effectively with partners, stakeholders, and developers to make informed decisions as we build our essential offshore wind industry.”
The surveys will begin next year, with the data expected to be made publicly available in 2023 through a platform to be identified by the winning proposer. The deadline to apply is Jan. 10, 2022.
Long Island Construction Law does not own this content. This content was created by David Winzelberg and was published to the Long Island Business News on December 9th, 2021.
David Winzelberg covers real estate, development, land use, retailing, franchising and white-collar crime for Long Island Business News.
An award-winning journalist who spent 20 years writing about Long Island for The New York Times, David’s work has also appeared in The Atlantic magazine, Forbes.com and has been featured on CNBC’s “American Greed.” A former adjunct professor of journalism and former editor of a weekly community newspaper, David is a frequent panelist and moderator at area business events.
He can reached via email at dwinzelberg@libn.com or at (631) 913-4247.
Follow him on Twitter @DavidWinzelberg.
John Caravella Esq., is a construction attorney and formerly practicing project architect at The Law Office of John Caravella, P.C., representing architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors, and owners in all phases of contract preparation, litigation, and arbitration across New York and Florida. He also serves as an arbitrator to the American Arbitration Association Construction Industry Panel. Mr. Caravella can be reached by email: John@LIConstructionLaw.com or (631) 608-1346.
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