Successful Offshore Wind Energy Projects Require a Robust Emergency Response Plan

Locke Lord Washington, D.C., lawyer Josh Kaplowitz co-authored an article for Offshore Magazine with Cheryl Stahl, Principal Project Manager of Offshore Wind for DNV, discussing the criticality of robust emergency response strategies for offshore wind operations. The article explores key considerations for developers when implementing an emergency response plan, including important legal obligations and best practices to mitigate regulatory and public risk.

“While offshore wind developers in the U.S. have the advantage of lessons learned in Europe, the industry is also under an unusual amount of public scrutiny due to opposition from coastal communities, commercial fishermen and political operatives,” Kaplowitz and Stahl write. “While not every incident can be foreseen, developers and operators can put themselves in the best possible position to resume operations — and keep the trust of stakeholders and the general public — by ensuring their emergency response plans are road tested and fully deployable, proactively communicating with potentially affected parties and building relationships and awareness with the relevant regulatory agencies.”

Read the full Offshore Magazine article.