Documents show citizens’ concerns ignored as Biden administration moves forward with offshore wind
- July 26, 2024
Kevin Killough, Just The News
The beaches along the southern coast of Nantucket, Massachusetts, were shut down last week when a offshore wind turbine blade disintegrated. Residents were picking up pieces of green and white foam, along with larger pieces of fiberglass off the sand, the Nantucket Current reported.
The debris came from the Vineyard Wind, which in January became the second offshore wind project in the U.S. to deliver power. The debris incident will likely add to the growing list of concerns about the impacts of President Joe Biden’s plans to blanket the East Coast with wind turbines exceeding the height of the Eiffel Tower and with blades longer than football fields.
Multiple groups from both sides of the political divide have voiced objections to Biden’s plan over the impacts to the viewshed, marine wildlife, historic sites, tourism and fishing. While their concerns vary, many say the Department of the Interior (DOI) has not appeared to factor in anything they have to say on these matters.
Government watchdog Protect the Public’s Trust (PPT) obtained records it says demonstrate that the DOI ignored the input from multiple municipalities, Native American tribal groups and other federal agencies in permitting the South Fork Wind project off the coast of Rhode Island.
“You could even call it an arrogance about the decision making and pushing forward with offshore wind projects,” PPT Director Michael Chamberlain told Just the News.
Protect the Public’s Trust also obtained emails that show BOEM officials who were in charge of permitting the development moved forward despite being aware of the concerns.
“These organizations have legitimate concerns about the impacts on the community and on the historical areas, and they were either ignored or disregarded or just not really taken into account,” Chamberlain said.