The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, Division of Coastal Management (DCM) hereby gives notice that public review and comment is invited on a proposed federal action.

The State’s review of a Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Consistency Determination (CD) will determine whether issuing Wind Energy Areas (WEAs) commercial leases and grants on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) of the Central Atlantic is consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the enforceable policies of the North Carolina Coastal Zone Management (CZM) program. The proposed action includes:

Commercial lease issuance within the WEAs and granting of rights-of-way (ROWs) and rights-of-use and easement (RUEs) in support of future wind energy development in the Central Atlantic.; and
Site Assessment activities (i.e., placement of a meteorological ocean buoy) on lease and site characterization activities (i.e., geophysical, geotechnical, biological, and archaeological surveys and monitoring activities) within and around leases, and between leases and the shore.

A more thorough description of the proposed federal actions may be examined via the attached documents.

DCM is evaluating whether the proposed federal action is consistent with the enforceable policies of the State’s Coastal Area Management Act and rules of the NC Coastal Resources Commission. To assist in this evaluation, DCM is inviting the public to offer comments on the proposed federal action.

Please submit written comments by February 29, 2024 to Daniel Govoni, Federal Consistency Coordinator, 400 Commerce Avenue, Morehead City, NC 28557, or by email to daniel.govoni@deq.nc.gov. Please put “Central Atlantic Wind Energy Area” in the subject line. All comments will be considered in developing the state’s consistency response. Notice of the decision regarding this matter will be provided upon request.