The Biden administration recently approved the nation’s first major offshore wind farm, billing it as the launch of a new domestic energy industry that will help eliminate emissions from the power sector.
The announcement fits neatly with U.S. President Joe Biden’s broader agenda to combat global climate change by decarbonizing the nation’s economy.
The move, however, was quickly condemned by the fishing industry which said its concerns about the project’s impact fish stocks and vessel traffic had been “met with silence” by government officials.
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According to Reuters news agency, approval of the Vineyard Wind project, which will be located 14 miles (23 km) off the coast of Massachusetts, is a significant milestone in the more than decade-long effort to permit a commercial-scale offshore wind project in U.S. waters.
With just two small offshore wind facilities, the U.S. has lagged European nations in developing the technology.
Vineyard Wind and other U.S. projects that were ultimately shelved faced concerns about damage to fishing, tourism, birds, historic sites and property values from putting dozens of spinning steel turbines near the scenic coastline.
Former President Donald Trump, who downplayed global warming and sought to maximize fossil fuels, had canceled Vineyard Wind’s permitting process late last year, but Biden restarted the review within a month of taking office.
We’re really looking forward to now moving into the phase where we can actually start building the first large-scale offshore wind farm in the U.S. I’ve always believed that fighting climate change is not only good for the environment but good for the economy.
…Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said on a call with reporters.
Overall, the approval is a win for Vineyard Wind’s joint project owners Avangrid Inc (AGR.N) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners. The project began its federal permitting process more than three years ago and endured a string of delays in part due to concerns that the wind turbines would interfere with commercial fishing.
