Offshore Wind Critic Mary Chalke Running For Nantucket Select Board

Almost any time the Select Board has discussed the hot topic of offshore wind in recent years, a whale shows up.

Madaket resident Mary Chalke, dressed in her whale costume, has been a regular at these meetings, holding a sign that says "Save Me." Now she's attempting to move on from the sidelines and get a seat at the table: Chalke is running for a seat on the Select Board.

As one of the founders of the group Nantucket Residents Against Turbines (now ACK For Whales), Chalke was one of the earliest voices sounding the alarm about the offshore wind projects being planned and built southwest of the island. While she left the group years ago, her advocacy has continued. But the controversial issue is not exactly why she decided to make a run for Nantucket's lead policy-making body.

"I want to improve the two-way communication between the citizens and the town government," Chalke said when asked what spurred her interest to run for elected office. "I feel that, in some cases, the people’s preferences have not been heard. I will advocate for more public input, transparency, and accountability."

While Chalke has suggested that offshore wind developments have been responsible for the uptick in whale mortalities along the East Coast, scientists and federal agencies, including NOAA, have stated there is no evidence that offshore wind development is harming whales or other marine mammals.

Still, if she managed to win one of the two seats on the Select Board up for grabs in this year's election, Chalke said offshore wind would remain her top issue.

"The industrial offshore wind energy construction close to our south shore, with eventual 1,400 Eiffel Tower-size turbines, is harming our island," Chalke said. "We must do everything possible to stop the construction and remove the Vineyard Wind's 60 defective blades, which pose an immediate to our environment, as soon as possible. The coastal resilience projects are extremely expensive. While some seem to be a high priority, some need further study and review of the impacts on our fragile environment, in my opinion."

Chalke will be running against incumbent Select Board chair Brooke Mohr, along with two other challengers: Jill Vieth and Brook Gibbs. The other incumbent, Matt Fee, said he is so far undecided on whether to run again for a sixth term.

Chalke, who first came to Nantucket 56 years ago, has owned a home in Madaket for decades. She has been a physical therapist, a chef, an artist, and a volunteer at Our Island Home and The Warming Place. The mother of two sons, she now has two grandchildren and said she enjoys walking, cycling, and sailing on Nantucket.

"I will bring fresh perspectives to the Select Board," Chalke concluded. "I will protect the public's right to transparency and input. We must not limit this. I will work hard to educate the state and federal agencies about Nantucket's unique and fragile identity, our National Historic Landmark status, culture, economy, and environment, and our need for the highest level of protection."