Tag Archives: wind energy

The Word on Offshore Wind

Mass Audubon submitted comments to the US Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on the latest stage of review for the proposed 800 MW Vineyard Wind project. The offshore wind facility would be located in federal waters, with transmission cables crossing Massachusetts waters and connecting to a landfall on Cape Cod.

To meet Massachusetts’ long term renewable energy goals, the state is seeking bids to procure 1,600 MW of offshore wind energy. Vineyard Wind is currently one of the three offshore wind energy projects competing for a contract in Massachusetts, and is the first to initiate a long and complicated state, federal, local, and regional permitting process.

Offshore wind is on the horizon for Massachusetts

Mass Audubon supports the responsible development of clean, renewable energy that reduces the worst effects of climate change. But, we also urge BOEM and project developers to operate under appropriate conditions to protect important habitats and the marine and bird species that utilize these areas. Read the letter here.

We also signed onto a group comment letter with partners including the Natural Resources Defense Council, National Wildlife Federation, and others

Vineyard Wind has also continued to move forward with state-level permitting, filing their draft Environmental Impact Report with the Commonwealth for the wind farm’s transmission cable to the land-based grid. We’ll be commenting on that process as well. The DEIR is available now on the project website, though the official comment period is not yet open.

We’ll be continuing to follow the development of this project and others proposed off the Massachusetts coast.

Proposed offshore wind leased areas off Massachusetts

Speak Up in Support of Offshore Wind!

Last year, Mass Audubon joined forces with National Wildlife Federation and other environmental organizations to ensure that a major new state energy law included a provision requiring the Commonwealth to purchase 1,600 megawatts of offshore wind over the next decade – enough energy to power over half a million homes.

This week, the state’s utilities sent a draft Request for Proposals (RFP) to state energy regulators, asking them to approve a bid process for companies vying for offshore wind contracts off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard. Mass Audubon is currently preparing comments to send to the Baker Administration in support of this historic process. We also participated in the review process for the offshore wind leasing area, in addition to serving on the state’s Offshore Wind Habitat Working Group. You can read our detailed comments on each step (Request for Interest; Call for Information; Environmental Assessment; and Proposed Sale Notice) in the federal offshore wind lease sale.

Photo credit: Kim Hansen

We need offshore wind to combat climate change, which remains the single largest threat to people and wildlife both in Massachusetts and worldwide. It’s time to turn Massachusetts’ commitment into a reality. The Baker Administration needs to hear from thousands of Commonwealth residents calling for large-scale, responsibly-sited offshore wind power to replace fossil fuel-fired power plants and put Massachusetts on track toward a clean energy future. Please let them know that you support offshore wind for Massachusetts by adding your name to this message from our environmental partners!