During a town hall meeting on Wednesday, angry residents of Nantucket, Massachusetts, confronted representatives of Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind developer.
The company’s turbine blade failure had led to debris washing ashore, forcing the closure of south shore beaches.
Locals accused Vineyard Wind of delayed notification and inadequate cleanup efforts. Captain Bobby DeCosta, a charter boat operator, criticized the company’s lack of communication and questioned their knowledge of the area’s wind and tide patterns.
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Lobsterman Dan Pronk expressed concerns about the environmental impact of the fiberglass debris, questioning Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller about its potential toxicity.
“I fish 800 lobster traps right where you’re putting these tombstones, which is also the end of my business. When you apply {fiberglass}, you have to wear respirators. For what reason? Because it’s toxic. If you breathe those fumes, you’ll get higher than a rat,” Pronk said. “So, it is toxic. What do you have to say about that, Klaus?”
The incident prompted the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement to halt Vineyard Wind’s operations. The town of Nantucket labeled the situation a “crisis,” with a significant piece of debris still submerged.
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“There were no injuries reported, but operations are shut down until further notice,” a spokesperson for the federal agency said Tuesday afternoon. “BSEE is coordinating with the United States Coast Guard and state officials to ensure information sharing. A team of BSEE experts is onsite to work closely with Vineyard Wind on an analysis of the cause of the incident and next steps.”
This incident highlights the challenges faced by the developing offshore wind industry, as the Biden administration pushes for increased wind power capacity as part of its green agenda.
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