A US federal judge has ruled to dismiss a case against Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) and Avangrid's 800MW Vineyard Wind project, following claims that it posed a threat to the North American right whale.
Nantucket Residents Against Turbines, an advocacy group, had filed a motion earlier this year against Federal Government agencies and personnel, asserting that the environmental approvals for Vineyard Wind violated the Endangered Species Act.
The group sought to nullify the project's Final Environmental Impact Statements and impose an injunction on construction activities. However, Judge Indira Talwani determined that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) had taken the North American right whale into consideration and implemented measures to safeguard the endangered species.
These protective measures include seasonal restrictions on construction work, the requirement of whale spotters, and the regulation of pile driving activities.
Expressing satisfaction with the court's ruling, Vineyard Offshore CEO Klaus Moeller stated, “We're pleased the court has acknowledged the rigorous and thorough administrative review that our project underwent over the last many years. We remain committed to working with all stakeholders so that we can continue to set the highest possible standards on this first-in-the-nation project.”
