Nantucket Appeals US Approval of Ocean Winds’ SouthCoast Wind Project

The town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, has filed an appeal against the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) approval of Ocean Winds’ SouthCoast Wind project, a proposed offshore wind farm with a potential capacity of up to 2,400 megawatts (MW). The appeal follows the approval of the project’s construction and operations plan in the final days of the Biden administration.

In September, Massachusetts committed to purchasing 1,087 MW of the project’s capacity as part of a multi-state solicitation, with Rhode Island securing an additional 200 MW for the first phase of the array.

Nantucket Town Select Board Chair, Brooke Mohr, expressed concern over the approval, stating, “Our community should not bear the consequences of their poor planning.” The town’s appeal contends that BOEM violated both the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

The NHPA mandates that federal agencies assess and mitigate the impact of projects on historic properties before granting approval. Nantucket’s appeal argues that BOEM failed to adequately address the potential harm to historical sites.

Additionally, the town’s appeal highlights concerns over the broader environmental impact of offshore wind farms. Nantucket points to an incident involving the Vineyard Wind project, a joint venture between CIP and Iberdrola, where a blade failure occurred over the summer, raising concerns about the safety and reliability of wind turbine operations.

Nantucket’s appeal reflects ongoing local opposition to large-scale offshore wind projects, with critics emphasizing potential environmental and safety risks associated with their development.