VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Dominion Energy's offshore wind project released a draft of its Environmental Impact Statement on Monday.
It's all centered around proposed wind turbines that would stand about 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, and a transmission route back to land. The goal of the $9.8 billion project is to produce enough renewable energy to power 660,000 homes.
The document is supposed to look at all the ways the offshore wind farm could impact the world around it: the people, the environment and the economy. And it also looks at what impacts the wind farm could have throughout its lifespan; when it's under construction, in operation and eventually decommissioned.
It's a report the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) depends on, to see if they want to give Dominion Energy the green light or ask for modifications.
With that in mind, the Environmental Impact Statement also puts forward alternative plans that the construction team could choose and lays out how the environment would be affected by each of those alternate options.
Starting on page 10 of the executive summary, there's a chart that color codes how the wind farm is predicted to interfere with different things.
The report predicts the most change to the commercial fishing and for-hire recreational fishing industries.
Depending on which of the alternate plans the BOEM recommends, there could also be moderate-to-major impacts on military marine traffic and marine mammals.
There's a 60-day public comment period where people can weigh in on the report. That feedback goes to BOEM to play into its decision.
"Offshore wind offers many benefits for Virginia - it's emissions-free, fuel-free and transformational for the Hampton Roads economy," said Bob Blue, Dominion Energy's chair, president and CEO.
"We look forward to working with federal regulators and the public to ensure the project is fully protective of the environment."
The wind project is on schedule to be built between 2024-2026.