Public Form on SouthCoast Wind Mitigation Efforts

The Town of Nantucket is holding a hybrid public forum on the SouthCoast Wind Offshore Wind Project and Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) Proposed Mitigation for Adverse Effects to the Nantucket Historic District.

SouthCoast Wind is the next offshore wind farm slated for approval off the coast of Nantucket. SouthCoast Wind is unrelated to Vineyard Wind and is developed by Ocean Winds, a partnership between EDP Renewables and ENGIE. The project would build up to 147 turbines 23 miles away standing 1,066 feet tall. For comparison, Vineyard Wind 1 is comprised of 62 turbines approximately 18 miles from shore standing 853 feet tall. SouthCoast is expected to receive federal approval on December 20, 2024.

SouthCoast Wind will be highly visible. Yet, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has offered inadequate mitigation for the harm it will cause our community: $150,000 to implement historic property surveys and archaeological assessments, neither of which has been requested by the Town.

BOEM’s offer is not acceptable. In addition to requesting no additional visible turbines on our horizon, we intend to provide BOEM with a list of projects that would make a meaningful difference to Nantucket for the unavoidable visual effects that SouthCoast will cause. We want community input  on what mitigation requests the Town should send to BOEM.