San Francisco Wave Energy Permit Dismissed

Things in the wave energy world are changing quickly. It was just a few months ago (February 27, 2009) that San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsome announced they were submitting a preliminary permit for a wave energy project off the City of San Francisco.

A few weeks ago (April 9th) FERC & MMS announced a new agreement settling their jurisdictional dispute.

As a result the City's permit gets dismissed and now they'll have to seek a new one under the new system.


Thank you for your continued interest in San Francisco's efforts to betterunderstand the ocean power potential off our coast. FYI, FERC has dismissed the City & County of San Francisco's preliminary permit application to study a wave power project off the coast, on the grounds that the MOA between FERC and MMS prohibits FERC from issuing any permits for hydrokinetic projects in the Outer Continental Shelf.


The City remains committed to studying our ocean power potential, and is currently exploring our options.

Johanna

______________________________
Johanna Gregory Partin
Renewable Energy Program Manager
Department of the Environment
City and County of San Francisco
Phone: (415) 355-3715
Email: johanna.partin@sfgov.org

Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) & Marine Life?

One of the environmental concerns about developing alternative ocean energy is that the power has to be transmitting back to shore in a large undersea transmission cable - think of a giant extension cord going from the array of devices back to shore where it plugs into the grid. That transmission line will generate an electromagnetic field (EMF) that may affect marine life.

All electronically charged objects create electromagnetic field (EMF). There are some concerns that EMF might affect marine life who are very sensitive to electromagnetic fields. Sharks, rays and skates (elasmobranchs) are know to be particularly sensitive to EMF because they use it so sense prey. There is also some concern about how EMF might effect the navigational signals used by migrating species, such as turtles and marine mammals (seals, whales, etc).

MMS just announced that they will be funding a study to better understand the effects of electromagnetic fields from undersea transmission lines on marine wildlife. Press Release.

You can also read more about potential EMF impacts on wildlife in a draft memo regarding the infamous Cape Wind project.