OAK BLUFFS – South Fork Wind, LLC (South Fork) has received approval for its final Clean Water Air Act Outer Continental Shelf air quality permit from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
The move is part of a continued push region-wide towards green offshore wind energy by the state, which has included developments including Vineyard Wind which recently broke ground on Cape Cod.
According to the EPA, the South Fork wind farm will be constructed in federal waters southwest of Martha’s Vineyard with alternating current electric cable connected to the electric grid in East Hampton, New York.
It is the first of seven that the EPA is evaluating over the next several years.
The permits approved Tuesday by the EPA relate to air pollution control requirements during the construction and operation of the farm.
“Finalizing the Clean Air Act Outer Continental Shelf air quality permit for the South Fork Windfarm means that this renewable energy project will move forward in a way that meets Clean Air Act requirements for both construction and operation,” said EPA New England Acting Regional Administrator Deb Szaro in a statement.
“Upon completion, this windfarm will contribute 130 MW of clean energy to the grid, which is a great stride towards our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
The permit regulates pollutants from sources such as construction barges and back-up generators, covering such pollutants as nitrogen oxides and other particulate matter.
To-and-fro vessel emissions were also factored into the approval, said EPA officials.
According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, the project is expected to power up to 70,000 homes and businesses and create roughly 340 jobs.
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