US Senator Calls for Timely Vineyard Wind EIS Decision

Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren is urging the U.S. administration to allow the Vineyard Wind project to move forward without delay after it had faced a set back regarding the approval of its Federal Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS).

Senator Warren has called on the U.S. administration to work towards a solution that will protect the environment, address the concerns raised by local fishermen and allow the 800MW project to move forward without delay.

According to Warren, the administration’s last-minute decision to delay such an important approval is “extremely disappointing.”

“The Vineyard Wind project-which is projected to create thousands of jobs and generate clean energy for over 400,000 families and businesses across the Commonwealth-would save money for Massachusetts ratepayers, reduce carbon emissions by over 1.6 tons per year, and help the Commonwealth reach its clean energy targets by 2035,” Warren stated. “Despite these benefits, the Trump Administration has chosen to hinder this important project and continue to put corporate polluters’ profits over Americans’ well-being.”

To remind, in July the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced it is postponing the issuance of the Vineyard Wind FEIS saying it is not yet prepared to do so.

The bureau then recently delayed the approval again citing that a supplemental draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) process needs to be undertaken.

Vineyard Wind was planned to enter project construction this year and be operational by 2022. The 800MW project will feature MHI Vestas 9.5MW turbines located some 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard.