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South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project Biological Assessment for the National Marine Fisheries Service

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South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project Biological Assessment for the National Marine Fisheries Service South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project Biological Assessment January 2021 For the National Marine Fisheries Service U.S. Department of the Interior Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Office of Renewable Energy Programs This page left blank intentionally. South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project Biological Assessment for the National Marine Fisheries Service CONTENTS Introduction ................................................................................................................................................. 1 Action Area ............................................................................................................................................ 2 Renewable Energy Process ..................................................................................................................... 4 Design Envelope ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation History ....................................................................... 7 Proposed Action .......................................................................................................................................... 7 Construction ........................................................................................................................................... 8 South Fork Wind Farm .................................................................................................................... 9 South Fork Export Cable ............................................................................................................... 16 Operation .............................................................................................................................................. 17 South Fork Wind Farm Repair and Maintenance .......................................................................... 17 South Fork Export Cable ............................................................................................................... 17 Decommissioning and Site Clearance .................................................................................................. 18 Proposed Mitigation, Monitoring, and Reporting Measures ................................................................ 19 Species and Critical Habitat Considered, but Discounted from Further Analysis ............................. 29 Blue Whale – Endangered .................................................................................................................... 29 Shortnose Sturgeon – Endangered ........................................................................................................ 30 Giant Manta Ray – Threatened ............................................................................................................. 30 Hawksbill Sea Turtle – Endangered ..................................................................................................... 30 Gulf of Maine Distinct Population Segment of Atlantic Salmon – Endangered .................................. 31 Oceanic Whitetip Shark – Threatened .................................................................................................. 31 Northeast Atlantic Distinct Population Segment of Loggerhead Sea Turtle ........................................ 32 Critical Habitat Designated for the North Atlantic Right Whale ......................................................... 32 Critical Habitat Designated for the Northwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment of Loggerhead Sea Turtle ......................................................................................................................... 33 Critical Habitat for All Listed Distinct Population Segments of Atlantic Sturgeon ............................. 34 Threatened and Endangered Species Considered for Further Analysis .............................................. 34 Marine Mammals ................................................................................................................................. 36 Fin Whale ....................................................................................................................................... 38 North Atlantic Right Whale ........................................................................................................... 41 Sei Whale ....................................................................................................................................... 44 Sperm Whale .................................................................................................................................. 47 Sea Turtles ............................................................................................................................................ 48 North Atlantic Distinct Population Segment of Green Sea Turtle ................................................. 52 Kemp’s Ridley Sea Turtle .............................................................................................................. 54 Leatherback Sea Turtle .................................................................................................................. 55 Northwest Atlantic Distinct Population Segment of Loggerhead Sea Turtle ................................ 58 Marine Fish ........................................................................................................................................... 61 Atlantic Sturgeon ........................................................................................................................... 61 Environmental Baseline ............................................................................................................................ 63 Seabed and Water Column Habitat Conditions .................................................................................... 63 Seabed Conditions ......................................................................................................................... 64 Water Column Conditions ............................................................................................................. 65 i South Fork Wind Farm and South Fork Export Cable Project Biological Assessment for the National Marine Fisheries Service Underwater Noise ................................................................................................................................. 66 Water Quality ....................................................................................................................................... 68 Electromagnetic Fields ......................................................................................................................... 68 Artificial Light ...................................................................................................................................... 71 Vessel Traffic ....................................................................................................................................... 71 Effects of the Proposed Action ................................................................................................................. 75 Seabed and Water Column Disturbance ............................................................................................... 76 Underwater Noise Effects..................................................................................................................... 79 Marine Mammal Noise Exposure .................................................................................................. 82 Sea Turtle Noise Exposure ............................................................................................................. 88 Marine Fish Noise Exposure .......................................................................................................... 91 Water Quality Effects ........................................................................................................................... 94 Marine Mammal Total Suspended Sediment Exposure ................................................................. 95 Sea Turtle Total Suspended Sediment Exposure ........................................................................... 95 Marine Fish Total Suspended Sediment Exposure ........................................................................ 96 Electromagnetic Field and Heat Effects ............................................................................................... 96 Marine Mammal Electromagnetic Field Exposure ........................................................................ 98 Sea Turtle Electromagnetic Field Exposure ................................................................................... 98 Marine Fish Electromagnetic Field Exposure ................................................................................ 98 Artificial Light Effects ......................................................................................................................... 99 Vessel Traffic Effects ........................................................................................................................... 99 Vessel Strike Risk ........................................................................................................................ 100 Spill Risk .....................................................................................................................................
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