Keep Nantucket Wild

This blade explosion is from a few days ago at an offshore wind farm in Ireland. When this happened in July 2024 to a Vineyard Wind Turbine, they grossly minimized its danger and impact by re-naming it (re-branding it) as a “blade failure.” Let’s call a spade a spade. This video from Ireland more than categorizes these incidents an explosions.

Seeing this horrific footage felt like the right time to resurface after a winter hiatus to observe and re-assess the landscape of offshore wind, both locally and globally. With the new presidential administration being so overtly opposed to big wind, we wanted to see what transpired within the first few months of the term, so it could inform how we continue to organize at a local level. and have done an incredible job following the story and keeping the community informed on what’s happening. We are so grateful for their diligence.

Swipe for a few local and federal highlights from the winter and stay tuned for ways we will continue to organize and oppose the industrialization of our oceans.

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has put forth a mitigation package for the town of Nantucket as part of the second phase of the SouthCoast offshore Wind project - a mere $150k for hisorical SURVEYS That will do nothing to mitigate anything. This financial compensation aimed at addressing the visual and environmental impacts of the wind farm, such as funding for historic property surveys and archaeological assessments IS OF NO VALUE TO AN ISLAND THAT'S SURVIVAL IS DEPENDENT UPON A HEALTHY OCEAN ECOSYSTEM.

As a National Historic Landmark, Nantucket is afforded the highest level of protection, and the $150k does not minimize, avoid, or mitigate the major adverse effects of the project as required by federal law. These mitigations fail to address the broader ecological concerns. The ocean inhabits an intricate web of life and sustains local economies and global climate systems. IT IS PRICELESS.

Offshore wind developments adversely affect marine life, habitats, and the overall ecosystem underscores the argument that no amount of financial compensation can replace the loss of a vibrant and living ocean.