Several bipartisan governors from New England and US east-coast states have sent a letter to the federal government urging a resolution to prevent delay to the 800MW Vineyard Wind offshore wind farm.
The letter has been signed by Republican governors Charlie Baker (Massachusetts, pictured) and Chris Sununu (New Hampshire) and Democrat governors Janet Mills (Maine), Ralph Northam (Virginia) and Ned Lamont (Connecticut).
It urges the US Department of Interior and Department of Commerce to resolve the government delay regarding the Vineyard Wind project being developed by an Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners joint venture off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts.
The letter states: “A decision regarding the first project undergoing environmental review by your departments, Vineyard Wind, has now been delayed due to a decision to undertake an expanded ‘cumulative impacts’ review of a greater build-out of offshore wind in the Atlantic.
“While we support assessing and mitigating impacts of large-scale offshore wind development, we are disappointed that this review has adversely affected the timeline for the Vineyard Wind project.
“Like other industries, it is critical that states and the federal government establish and maintain clear regulatory timelines so as to incentivise the necessary capital investment.
“We encourage you to explore options for ensuring that supplemental review be conducted expeditiously so that a Record of Decision for the Vineyard Wind project can be issued by March 2020.
“Further government delay would have negative impacts on this project, offshore wind development along the east coast and the further expansion of American jobs that support this industry.”
On signing the letter Governor Sununu issued a statement. In it he reiterated his support for Governor Baker’s request that the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) come to a Record of Decision on the Vineyard Wind project by March 2020.
“Ensuring that the Vineyard Wind project moves forward on schedule is vital to New Hampshire’s own efforts in the Gulf of Maine,” he said.
“Vineyard Wind is the first project of its kind to go through this process, and any delay will negatively impact the future offshore wind development not just for Massachusetts, but for the entire region,” Sununu added.