Public Hearing re: Application request of SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC for a State of Rhode Island Dredge Permit

RIDEM File Number: DP -23- 198; WQC 23 - 044                         Date: February 6, 2024

This Office has under consideration the application request of: SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC for a State of Rhode Island Dredge Permit, that includes a State of Rhode Island Water Quality Certification pursuant to Section 401 of the Federal Clean Water Act (AUTHORITY: 33 U.S.C. § 1341 et seq.; and R.I. Gen. Laws Chapters 42-35, 46-12 and 42-17.1) and in accordance with the Rules and Regulations for Dredging and the Management of Dredge Materials (250-RICR-150-05-2) and the State Water Quality Regulations (250-RICR-150-05-1). The applicant proposes the following:

• Installation, operation, and maintenance of two underwater power export cables and associated communications cabling, each approximately 20.4 miles long.
• Possible placement of fill (i.e., secondary cable protection) in state waters over the proposed underwater export cables to protect segments of the submarine export cables and existing utilities.
• Installation of the underwater export cables at the Project’s proposed landfall construction areas utilizing horizontal directional drilling (HDD) with work including temporary excavation/dredging at eight offshore HDD pits at each of the two landfalls on either side of Aquidneck Island at Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

The proposed work involves dredging of approximately 1,867 cubic yards (CY) of sediment from eight HDD pits for at total of approximately 14,936 cubic yards of dredging.  The excavated material will be backfilled into the HDD pits. Cable burial methods may include a jet plow or jet sled type burial tool.  Alternatively, cable may be laid on the seabed and trenched post-lay or a trench may be pre-cut prior to cable installation.

Project Location: Sakonnet River and Mount Hope Bay

City/Town: Portsmouth

Comments invited: The purpose of this NOTICE is to inform all landowners of properties adjoining the site of proposed activities and other interested individuals or agencies of the proposal and to provide for a period of thirty (30) days within which to provide comments or objections. The NOTICE period for this application ends at 4:00 p.m. on March 7, 2024.   Comments should be addressed to:

Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management

Office of Customer & Technical Assistance

Attention:  Ronald Gagnon, P.E.

235 Promenade Street, Providence, RI 02908

Tel:  401-537-4013

In accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act (Chapter 42-35 of the R.I.G.L.) a public comment hearing has been scheduled for February 22, 2024, at the Portsmouth High School Auditorium, 120 Education Lane, Portsmouth, Rhode Island from 6:00 to 10:00 PM.  

Parties interested in/or concerned with the above-mentioned matter are invited to be present at the above-mentioned time and place.  Individuals requesting interpreter services for the hearing impaired must notify the Office of Customer & Technical Assistance at 401-537-4029 (72 hours) in advance of the hearing date.

Additional Information: Any questions related to this NOTICE should be directed to Ronald Gagnon in DEM’s Office of Customer & Technical Assistance at (401) 537-4013.  Documents related to this notice may be reviewed at this office by appointment by calling 401-537-4029.