From Katrina Smith with the California Bat Working Group
FYI - Bats are addressed in Chapter 3 Affected Environment and Environmental Consequences, Section 3.3.1 Biological Resources - Bats and in Appendix E: Programmatic Mitigation Measures.
On November 13, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced a Notice of Availability (NOA) for the California Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS). The NOA will publish in the Federal Register on November 14, initiating a 90-day comment period. The public comment period for the California Offshore Wind PEIS ends on February 12, 2025. As part of this process, BOEM asks stakeholders, organizations, Federal agencies, and Tribal, State, and local governments to submit comments on the Draft PEIS, including appendices. The Draft PEIS analyzes programmatic avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and monitoring measures that BOEM may require as conditions of its approval for any future proposed offshore wind projects in California.
The following documents are available for your viewing:
BOEM Announces Draft Environmental Review of Potential Mitigation of Future Development of Wind Lease Areas Offshore California (November 2024)
Notice of Availability of the California Offshore Wind Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (November 2024)
California Offshore Wind Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (November 2024)
How to Comment
The “Notice of Availability of a Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for Expected Wind Energy Development in California” will publish in the Federal Register on Nov. 14, 2024, which initiates a 90-day public comment period ending on Feb. 12, 2025.
During the comment period, BOEM is seeking additional information on important resources and issues, potential impacts to the environment, and programmatic avoidance, minimization, mitigation, and monitoring measures found in the Draft PEIS.
BOEM will hold two virtual public meetings:
Jan. 28, 2025 at 5:00 pm PT
Jan. 30, 2025 at 12:00 pm PT
More information on BOEM’s regional environmental review of offshore wind development in California, including a map of the five lease areas, how to register for the public meetings, locations of the in-person meetings, and how to provide comments can be found on BOEM’s website: www.boem.gov/California.