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June 11, 2019 | Industry Updates

Vineyard Wind and Covell Beach

South Coast Today: “Vineyard Wind makes late pitch to residents”
[Merrily Cassidy/Cape Cod Times]
By Tanner Stening / Cape Cod Times; June 8, 2019/

CENTERVILLE — With a final environmental impact decision from the federal government pending, Vineyard Wind representatives met with the community again Thursday to shed light on preliminary construction plans for Covell Beach, where they plan to install high-voltage electricity transmission cables on Barnstable’s southern shoreline.

Nathaniel Mayo, Vineyard Wind’s policy and development manager, presented plans for the offshore wind farm — slated for federal waters roughly 14 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard — to the public at Centerville Public Library.

“This is trying to focus a little more on local impact and local benefit,” he said. “Vineyard Wind as a whole is a really big project.”

The town of Barnstable has negotiated a host community agreement with Vineyard Wind that, among other things, includes provisions to help protect the water resources associated with a new substation off Independence Way, according to Mayo.

Vineyard Wind has pledged to repave the Covell Beach parking lot, half of which will be used for equipment and staging during the offseason. The town also requested a reconstruction of the beach bathhouse through the agreement.

Vineyard Wind has received approval from the state Energy Facilities Siting Board to land the high-voltage cables at Covell Beach in Centerville and connect them to the substation. The cables will be installed using “horizontal directional drilling,” a minimally invasive method in which a hole would be bored roughly 30 feet below the beach.

Those present for the meeting received the project favorably.

“I’m for this project,” said Robert Lewsen, of Centerville. “We’ve procrastinated so long we’re behind the whole world. You can’t go anywhere in Europe without seeing wind turbines.”

John Boyle, a member of Barnstable’s energy and infrastructure committee, said he doesn’t believe the construction work will be too disruptive.

“There will be some impact of course,” he said. “There always is with this kind of technology, but I don’t think it’s going to be anything unmanageable.”

“They’ve had many meetings and they’re open to questions,” Boyle said of Vineyard Wind.

Although the project got a warm reception Thursday, it isn’t without its detractors.

Centerville Concerned Citizens, a group opposed to the installation of 5G antennas on residential roads, has raised some red flags on its community Facebook page. Denise Dandrea, a Centerville native who is now summer resident, has organized a petition against plans for the Covell Beach installation. The petition has garnered more than 150 signatures.

Vineyard Wind has signed contracts to sell 800 megawatts of electricity annually to three electricity distributors in Massachusetts, and intends to break ground on the $2 billion wind farm later this year in an effort to take advantage of expiring federal investment tax credits.

The wind farm itself is to be built on leased federal land 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The farm is being permitted by federal agencies, but the cables will need to pass along land under state and local control.

The offshore wind company has already secured permits from the Cape Cod Commission and the Barnstable Conservation Commission to operate the wind farm. The 84-turbine wind farm would be the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the country.

Onshore construction is expected to begin in the fall, and offshore work is slated for early 2020, Mayo said. Assuming no major delays, the project is expected to be completed by 2021.

Follow Tanner Stening on Twitter: @tsteningCCT

https://www.southcoasttoday.com/news/20190608/vineyard-wind-makes-late-pitch-to-residents

Reprinted via SouthCoastToday which is not affiliated with the Alliance.

 



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Q&A with Audra Parker, President & CEO

Together, we have made great strides in our mission to permanently protect Nantucket Sound. But, we need your continued support to leave a lasting legacy for our children and grandchildren. I encourage you to contribute to our preservation campaign. Nantucket Sound won’t stay a national treasure without your support.

Why is Nantucket Sound a national treasure? The Sound has a rich tribal and maritime history and has long been recognized as more than just a body of water. It is the heart and soul of the Cape and Islands. It is a significant marine habitat for a diversity of ecologically and economically important species. It provides a livelihood for local fishermen, an inspiration for artists, and is a source of solace, relaxation, and recreation for the millions that flock to its shores. Nantucket Sound connects all of us who live and visit here.

Why is Nantucket Sound still vulnerable to industrialization? While the state waters of the Sound are protected under Massachusetts law, the federal waters in the center remain open to industrial development.

How can we permanently protect Nantucket Sound? The best way to secure permanent protection for the Sound is through federal legislation. The Alliance has proposed the ‘Nantucket Sound National Historic Landmark Act’ which would recognize the Sound’s historic, environmental and economic values. It would also prevent future development by prohibiting industrial projects in the Sound.

What have we achieved since the defeat of Cape Wind? We made solid progress toward enacting this federal legislation. We worked closely with our federal delegation and built a strong and diverse coalition of support. We earned endorsements from Governor Baker, our local representatives and nearly 100 key stakeholder groups. This coalition of elected officials, environmental groups, municipalities, tribal governments, historic preservation groups, commercial fishermen, and many others, is urging our representatives in Washington, D.C. to enact the Nantucket Sound National Historic Landmark Act.

Why does the Alliance still need funding? The Alliance is the only group that is fighting to protect Nantucket Sound. As a non-profit, we rely solely on private donations. Thank you for your continued generosity as we work to Save Our Sound… FOREVER. Your tax-deductible donation today will leave a legacy for tomorrow.

   Audra Parker
   President and CEO

4 Barnstable Road, Hyannis, Massachusetts 02601 · Phone 508-775-9767 · Fax: 508-775-9725 · www.saveoursound.org
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