Deadline Looming For Vineyard Wind To Respond To Town's Demands

A little over halfway to the August 12th deadline the town of Nantucket set for Vineyard Wind to respond to a list of demands issued at a scathing press conference last Tuesday, state officials, political think tanks, and even the federal government have issued statements or taken direct action related to offshore wind. But without a response from Vineyard Wind to the Town’s demands, resolution remains elusive.

State Senator Julian Cyr, who represents the Cape and Islands, sided with Nantucket in a statement released soon after the press conference.

“I stand with the Town and support Nantucket’s call for greater transparency, responsiveness, and accountability. Nantucket’s demands are reasonable and achievable, and I will be working with local and state colleagues to ensure they are met,” Cyr said in the statement. “Given today’s public statement, I will now move forward in marshaling the Commonwealth’s resources and influence to help bring all parties back to the table and ensure the spirit and letter of the Good Neighbor Agreement is realized.”

But Cyr stopped short of turning against offshore wind, which he has long supported.

“I remain a strong supporter of our transition to renewable energy, and offshore wind is a key part of the Commonwealth’s broader strategy to lower energy costs and power our future responsibly,” the statement continued. “For the coastal communities where I live and represent, that transition is urgent and essential—rising seas are already flooding our downtowns and waterfronts. Yet that transition must occur in sustained partnership with the communities that host renewable energy projects. Nantucket deserves clear answers, better communication, and a seat at the table with this and every offshore project that impacts the island.”

Meanwhile, the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank, petitioned the Trump administration to revoke Vineyard Wind’s construction and operation plan and suspend the project, citing last summer’s blade failure as proof that the approval process was rushed and insufficient. The petition cites 13 violations of federal law, including environmental and national safety failures.

Trump has long been hostile to offshore wind, and his administration rescinded the wind energy area designation of over 3.5 million acres of unleased federal waters soon after Nantucket’s press conference.

The Trump administration also announced that it would be reconsidering its position in outstanding litigation related to offshore wind, including Nantucket’s appeal of the South Coast wind project.

“Should the government cease to defend [the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s] flawed consultation in South Coast and in other active appeals by coastal communities, it would have the profound effect of improving the quality of offshore wind development for decades to come by ensuring that developers listen to impacted coastal communities and Native Nations,” said Greg Werkheiser, an attorney for Cultural Heritage Partenrs, Nantucket’s special counsel for offshore wind.. “That outcome will benefit everyone and the planet.”

The Department of the Interior will also strengthen guidance to enhance the involvement of impacted communities in the offshore wind development process.

“The Department of the Interior has promised that local communities will have ‘a real seat at the table’ with offshore wind developers. We intend to hold the federal government to that promise,” Select Board member Brooke Mohr, who was the board’s chair when the Vineyard Wind turbine blade collapsed into the water, said.

For its part, Vineyard Wind has yet to reply to the Town’s demands, but claims that a long-delayed aircraft detection lighting system, the subject of one of the demands, is finally fully integrated on all installed turbines.