Legal Battle Over Offshore Wind Projects: Nantucket Environmental Groups Take a Stand
Environmental and fishing groups from Nantucket have taken a bold step by filing a lawsuit in US federal court to challenge the permits for Avangrid’s New England Wind 1 and 2 projects off Massachusetts. The move comes as a response to concerns about the potential impact of these offshore wind projects on the local marine ecosystem.
The lawsuit, which was filed by organizations such as ACK For Whales, the Wampanoag Tribe, Green Oceans, and a coalition of charter fishing groups, alleges that the Departments of Interior and Commerce violated several environmental laws when approving the record of decision for the two projects. These laws include the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered Species Act, Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, National Historic Preservation Act, and Administrative Procedures Act.
In a statement, Vallorie Oliver, president of ACK for Whales, expressed their frustration with the government’s handling of offshore wind projects, stating, “Offshore wind project after offshore wind project, the government was so desperate to rush these projects that it cut corners and violated the law.”
The plaintiffs are seeking declarative relief and an injunction to halt the progress of the New England 1 and 2 projects. They argue that the construction and operations plan for the 791MW phase, set to begin this year, will have detrimental effects on local fishermen and sustainable fisheries.
Nantucket lobsterman Danny Pronk voiced his concerns, stating, “We, the fishermen and lobstermen, are losing our grounds to foreign-owned, wind-power plant developers who are decimating sustainable fisheries that employ tens of thousands of US citizens and feed millions of Americans.”
The legal battle over the permits for Avangrid’s offshore wind projects highlights the ongoing tension between renewable energy development and environmental conservation. As the case unfolds in federal court, the outcome could have significant implications for the future of offshore wind projects in the region.