Block Island Wind Farm, just a few miles off the coast of Rhode Island, was the first commercial offshore wind farm in the United States. Construction started in late 2015 and has paved the way for numerous additional projects nationwide. diane39 | iStock /Getty Images Plus Marking and Lighting While many mariners will navigate around wind farms, others may choose to transit through them. This presents some unique challenges with marking and lighting. Not only must these structures be well-marked to provide mariners ample time to avoid them, each turbine needs to provide orientation within the farm. In essence, the Coast Guard needs to balance the need to mark farms as one single obstruction with turning the individual turbines into individual aids to navigation. Although the United States’ offshore wind develop- ment is just beginning, the Coast Guard has assisted with marking and lighting guidelines for several years through its participation in the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA). IALA published a guideline for The Marking of Offshore Man-Made Structures (G1162) on December 17, 2021. Recognizing the growing development of offshore windfarms worldwide, IALA seeks to provide consis- tency between all nations to ensure mariners are able to determine the outer perimeter of a windfarm. The guideline provides the mariner the ability to distinguish not only which structures are on the perimeter, but also which structures mark a corner by differentiating between what IALA calls Significant and Intermediate Peripheral Structures (SPS/IPS). This allows mariners a means to safely navigate around the windfarm. While the guideline provides additional lighting and marking recommendations for the interior structures, the Coast Guard is standardizing these recommenda- tions to provide mariners a safe way to determine their vessel’s location within the farm and ultimately navi- gate through, if desired. As described in NVIC 01-19, the consistent spacing and a standard grid pattern with two lines of orientation provides an organized way to label each individual turbine. Large areas with multiple adja- cent farms, like the Massachusetts/Rhode Island Wind Energy Area, will be marked as one single farm, allow- ing mariners a clear position identification throughout the area. In addition to traditional marking and lighting, radar and electronic chart clutter versus if AIS ATON were to be broadcast continuously. IPS and interior tur- bines would only broadcast to alert the mariner of any ATON discrepancies. These ATON could also be used to alert mariners of any emergencies in the area, such as SAR cases. By leveraging AIS technology, the Coast Guard could supplement its Broadcast Notice to Mariners procedures by sending a message to a wind farm’s com- mand center for broadcast throughout the AIS transmit- ters located across the farm. This judicious use of AIS may ultimately provide the Coast Guard and developer a force multiplier to broadcast marine information and ensure navigation safety throughout a wind farm. Conclusion In order to meet the demand of the additional users that offshore wind development brings, the Coast Guard’s role in marine planning is important, and our work with BOEM and offshore wind developers is critical to the success of this program. The offshore energy industry continues to evolve, and floating wind turbines and other types of offshore renewable energy development will bring new concerns. As the development of off- shore renewable energy installations advances, the Coast Guard will continue to coordinate a collaborative effort focused on safe navigation and harmonious waterway use by multiple maritime stakeholders. By looking for- ward to balance the potential impacts of proposed off- shore energy projects with navigation safety, traditional uses of the waterway, and port infrastructure, the Coast Guard can better position maritime communities. itself to continue serving the About the authors: Mr. John Stone is a program analyst with the Office of Waterways and Ocean Policy at Coast Guard Headquarters. He specializes in marine planning, navigation safety regulations, and aids to navigation. Prior to this, he served on active duty in the Coast Guard for more than 23 years as a career afloat officer. Ms. Michele Desautels has worked on maritime energy projects in the First Coast Guard District’s Prevention Division for 10 years. Prior to that, she worked at the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Renewable Energy in the Wind Program. Mr. Daniel Dugery has worked for the First Coast Guard District over the last 4 years as a port security specialist. He has more than 40 years combined active duty and civilian service with experience in marine con- struction, marine safety, and environmental response. Reference: Dr. John Smith, Search and Rescue: A Study of North American SAR Response, Random House, 2003, p. 5 automatic identification system (AIS) aids to navigation (ATON) will be leveraged. These will not only assist mariners with their location, but also provide additional information in the unlikely event the marking and light- ing on specific turbines are inconsistent. The intent is to provide each individual wind turbine with the capabil- ity to broadcast, while only continuously broadcasting on the SPS turbines. This strategy will reduce potential 60 Proceedings Summer 2023