Zulie Malone, zulie.malone@sierraclub.org
Cape Cod, Massachusetts - On Saturday, July 13, a single blade from an offshore turbine in the Vineyard Wind 1 project suffered a malfunction and produced debris south of the island of Nantucket in Massachusetts. This led to a federally ordered safety shutdown of Vineyard Wind’s operations. Vineyard Wind released a public statement on July 15. As pieces of the blade began washing ashore on Nantucket on Tuesday, the community came together to remove debris from the beach while the company mobilized their cleanup effort.
In coordination with Sierra Club’s Massachusetts Chapter and its Cape Cod & Islands Group, Sierra Club’s Senior Advisor for Offshore Wind, Nancy Pyne, released the following statement:
“We appreciate the tireless work of Nantucket residents, visitors, town staff, and volunteers who took action to get blade debris out of the water and off the beach as quickly as possible. The Sierra Club is concerned about Vineyard Wind’s delay in providing notice to Nantucket officials and the public, and urges the developers to do everything possible to prevent similar actions in the future. Now we must all work to ensure that the failure of a single turbine blade does not adversely impact the emergence of offshore wind as a critical solution for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and addressing the climate crisis.
“Wind power is one of the safest forms of energy generation. We advocate for offshore wind projects that ensure environmental protection, labor rights, and local community benefits. Responsible development of this important industry is crucial to advancing clean energy while simultaneously producing secure, family-sustaining jobs and supporting healthier communities. There are rigorous processes in place with federal, state, and local governments to regulate the offshore wind industry as it grows, and Sierra Club advocates have consistently called for this important oversight. We will continue to do so.”
Sierra Club Cape Cod & Islands Group Chair Chris Powicki added, “Some of us are old enough to remember 1976, when the Argo Merchant tanker sank just a few miles to the east of Vineyard Wind's site, and favorable winds protected the Cape and Islands region from almost 8 million gallons of spilled oil. In response to this blade malfunction, the community mobilized quickly to help clean up Nantucket's beloved shoreline, but that should not have been necessary. Vineyard Wind must work with the community to rebuild trust and enable future projects along our coast. The need to transition off fossil fuels is clear, and we support responsible offshore wind development."
Background on wind energy:
- Millions of people around the world live and work near wind farms without issue. Globally there are approximately 12,000 operating offshore wind turbines.
- Wind turbine blades’ protective coatings are non-toxic and the blades are specifically designed to have high resistance to weathering. Thousands of turbines all over the world have been constructed without incident, with more than a dozen turbines currently generating clean, reliable power to homes and businesses across the U.S.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.