Residents of Nantucket, Massachusetts, spoke out against wind power companies at a town hall on Wednesday. A “turbine blade failure incident” has caused debris to wash up along the shoreline.
Staff of The small island town, located 30 miles off the coast of Cape Cod, was forced to close beaches on its south shore on Tuesday because of “large floating debris and sharp fiberglass debris.” according to The Nantucket Port Authority posted a statement on Facebook. During the town meeting, local residents criticized Vineyard Wind, an offshore wind developer operating near the island, for taking too long to notify local residents and clean up the site, according to a video of the event posted on X by Nantucket Current.
“This happened Saturday night … the crew wasn’t notified until Monday. This is unacceptable. The town wasn’t informed until Monday,” said Bobby DeCosta, a charter boat captain from Nantucket. Said “Nobody in this room has been there, I guarantee you. There are a lot of people in suits here trying to cover their tracks,” DeCosta said during the town hall, gesturing to a Vineyard Wind representative who was in attendance.
DeCosta also said the cleanup effort should have happened sooner, and that anyone with advance knowledge of the prevailing winds in the area would have known they would eventually reach Nantucket’s shores.
“Anyone with any knowledge of water knows that the currents around this wind farm are northeast/southwest and the prevailing winds in summer are southwest, and this material is going to end up on the beach,” DeCosta said. “They should have done a tidal analysis before they started this project, so for them to say, ‘Oh, we had to do an analysis,’ is complete nonsense.” [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] “Studies to see where this material goes… They were hoping it wouldn’t wash onto our shores so we wouldn’t have to deal with it as much.”
“It’s a big challenge,” said Bobby DeCoster, Nantucket charter boat captain and owner of the Albacore, speaking from the top rope.
“There are a lot of people in suits here trying to hide evidence.” pic.twitter.com/XFzsYc4zty
— Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) July 18, 2024
Holding pieces of fiberglass that had washed up on the shore, local lobsterman Dan Pronk spoke at a town meeting about the impact the debris has had on his business and the environment, and also spoke directly to Vineyard Wind CEO Klaus Moeller. according to On to another video posted by Nantucket Current on X.
“I have 800 lobster traps set up where you put your gravestones. That’s the end of my business… [fiber glass]”…You have to wear a respirator. Why? Because it’s poisonous. If you breathe in the fumes…you’ll get higher than a rat,” he continued. “I mean, it’s poisonous. What do you think about that, Klaus?”
🦞 Nantucket lobsterman Dan Pronk glares at the Vineyard Wind CEO and says:
“In the very spot where you are placing your gravestones, I am setting out 800 lobster traps and catching fish. My work is done.” pic.twitter.com/T9xqjjI0T4
— Nantucket Current (@ACKCurrent) July 17, 2024
Following the accident, Vineyard Wind’s operations were “suspended until further notice,” a spokesman for the Office of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said. Said Tuesday on NBC Boston.
The Town of Nantucket on Thursday called the turbine wreckage a “crisis” and said, “Vineyard Wind vessels are on-site collecting fiberglass debris. Very large pieces are below the surface and in the water column,” according to a post by Nantucket Current. X.
The Biden administration has been pushing for greater construction and use of offshore wind farms as part of a broader environmental policy to reduce fossil fuel use. Recent wind farm projects have been plagued by problems and delays caused by high costs and component failures amid a rapidly expanding industry.
Vineyard Wind did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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