On February 11, 2020 Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind developer, announced that its offshore wind project off the coast of Massachusetts will not be in commercial operation in 2022 as previously expected following an updated permitting timeline from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on February 7, 2020.[1][2] BOEM is aiming to issue the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the project on November 13, 2020, and a final decision on December 18, 2020. The previous permitting timeline would have led to a final EIS by June 7, 2019.[3] The BOEM stated that the delay is due to comments from stakeholders and cooperating agencies that requested a more robust analysis. BOEM has also decided to supplement the draft EIS and solicit comments on its revised cumulative impacts analysis. Vineyard Wind needs the EIS before it can begin construction on its offshore wind project. However, to qualify for the federal production tax credit, Vineyard Wind would have needed to begin construction by the end of 2020.

[1] https://www.vineyardwind.com/press-releases/2020/2/11/statement-on-boem-timeline

[2] https://www.boem.gov/vineyard-wind

[3] https://www.boem.gov/sites/default/files/documents/renewable-energy/state-activities/Vineyard-Wind-SEIS-Permitting-Timetable.pdf