Deepwater Wind OK with SAMP delay

PROVIDENCE – A decision by the R.I. Coastal Resources Management Council to extend a planning process for the ocean will not impact the advancement of a proposed wind farm, the developer said Friday.
The council announced last week it would push the expected adoption of the ocean Special Area Management Plan, or SAMP, from late summer until October. The council and governor’s office said the extension would provide more time for the public to review and comment on the document. The plan will zone the ocean off Rhode Island for various uses, including a wind farm pitched by New Jersey-based Deepwater Wind.
On Friday, Deepwater Wind Chief Development Officer Paul Rich said the company supported the extension.
“I think it’s good, anything that helps understand these areas for determination of zoning is a benefit,” Rich said.
Rich said Deepwater wants to include the results of the SAMP in the company’s application with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which must approve the eight-turbine project slated for three miles off the coast of Block Island. By including the SAMP, the company could trim months off the review process that asks for much of the same information, Rich said.
“That’s the advantage of the SAMP, it really comes with a lot of data,” Rich said.
Deepwater had planned to file the application with the Corps in September, but will wait until after the SAMP is adopted, Rich said.
Ultimately, Rich said Deepwater could wait until summer 2011 at the latest to file the Corps application and still remain on track to complete the farm by late 2012. That schedule, however, would leave little wiggle room if the Corps takes longer than the expected six to nine months to review the application.