Edgartown commission rejects cables for 800 MW Vineyard Offshore Wind project

The Edgartown Conservation Commission on Martha's Vineyard has voted to deny the application to lay two 400-megawatt export cables one mile off Chappaquiddick from its proposed wind farm 15 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard to a site in Barnstable.

The commission found that the applicant, Vineyard Wind, did not submit sufficient information to protect against long-term and short-term adverse effects on the resource area, land under the ocean. The commission determined that the predictions offered by Vineyard Wind were not sufficient to allow the alteration of the resources of Muskeget Channel at this time.

Separately, the federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has delayed issuing a final environmental impact statement that would help clear the way for construction of the 84-turbine, 800-megawatt wind farm.

Vineyard Wind will seek a superseding order by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection to override the Edgartown decision.