SouthCoast Wind site. Bureau of Ocean Management.
NANTUCKET – The Town of Nantucket has challenged federal approval for offshore wind developer SouthCoast Wind building just south of the island.
The town has filed an appeal saying the project is not legally permitted and will harm local tourism.
They say the government violated federal law by not addressing potential damage to the historic district before giving the go-ahead.
SouthCoast Wind calls for up to 141 turbines about 20 miles south of the island.
The following is the full statement from the Town of Nantucket.
The Town and County of Nantucket today filed an appeal in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (“BOEM”) permitting the SouthCoast Wind project.
While BOEM has admitted that the project will adversely affect Nantucket’s internationally renowned historic district, which powers the Town’s heritage tourism economy, Nantucket alleges that BOEM violated federal law in failing to address those harms before greenlighting the project.
For 10,000 years, humans have traveled to Nantucket to enjoy its unparalleled seascape. SouthCoast Wind, owned in part by the governments of Portugal and France, is one of nine wind farms that propose to industrialize the ocean surrounding Nantucket by installing up to 743 visible turbines 3 times taller than the Statue of Liberty for at least thirty years.
“Nantucket is a premier international destination for our commitment to preservation,” said Town Select Board Chair Brooke Mohr. “Despite our repeated attempts to help BOEM and the developer find balance between the nation’s renewable energy goals and the protection of what makes us unique, they have refused to work with us and to follow the law. We are taking action to hold them accountable. Our community should not bear the consequences of their poor planning.”
Nantucket alleges that BOEM has violated the National Historic Preservation Act (“NHPA”) and the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”). The NHPA requires federal agencies to evaluate and find ways to avoid, minimize, or mitigate harm to historic properties before approving projects that may impact them. Nantucket alleges that BOEM failed to fully consider project harms, including future turbine blade failures like the disintegration that occurred in the neighboring Vineyard Wind Project during the height of tourist season in 2024, washing tons of material ashore and making international news.
“This is not about protecting rich people’s views. Our entire economy depends on heritage tourism. If people no longer want to come to Nantucket, that has a real impact on our small businesses and the people who operate them,” said Matt Fee, Vice Chair of the Select Board.
Cultural Heritage Partners serves as special legal counsel to the Town for offshore wind matters. Attorney William Cook observed: “BOEM’s conduct sets a dangerous precedent by weakening the federal government’s review of all energy-related projects, including fossil fuel projects that contribute most to global warming. We need to defend federal laws that protect our cultural and environmental resources now more than ever.”
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