Green Oceans, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving Rhode Island’s coastal environments, issued a strong call today for an immediate federal and state moratorium on offshore wind (OSW) development. The demand comes in response to what the group describes as a growing environmental crisis after a wind turbine blade shattered off the coast of Nantucket, scattering debris into the ocean.
In addition to advocating for the moratorium, Green Oceans has initiated legal action to block the advancement of two major OSW projects, Revolution Wind and South Fork Wind.
Concerns intensified last week as more fiberglass fragments and pieces of foam from the damaged turbine blade were found in the ocean, with the possibility of additional debris dispersing in the wake of expected high winds. The fallout has not been contained to the immediate area; debris from the Vineyard Wind project is reportedly washing ashore on Rhode Island’s beaches.
The initial blade failure prompted the Nantucket harbormaster to close the island’s beaches. In response to the incident, the U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement issued a second suspension order to Vineyard Wind, instructing the company to halt all power production and construction activities until a thorough investigation determines whether the blade failure was an isolated incident or indicative of a broader problem.
Meanwhile, litigation has revealed a concerning concession from the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, which acknowledged that the construction of large-scale offshore wind farms is unlikely to have a significant impact on climate change.
“This is a disaster that the government never even considered,” said Lisa Quattrocki, President of Green Oceans. “Neither the governmental bodies nor the developers’ environmental assessments mentioned, let alone addressed, the possibility of a blade failing and littering the ocean with potentially hazardous debris. We need to ask ourselves, ‘What else have they not considered?’”
Quattrocki pointed to industry data indicating that wind turbine blade failures are not uncommon, with WindPower Monthly reporting approximately 3,800 such incidents globally each year. She highlighted a recent failure at the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm as an example of the risks.
“If all nine proposed projects are built, and given the current failure rate, we could see as many as 15 blades falling into the ocean annually. That’s over 1,000 tons of epoxy, fiberglass, and foam contaminating our beaches and oceans every year. For perspective, a Boeing 747 weighs 200 tons—do we really want the debris equivalent of five jumbo jets polluting our waters annually?”
Quattrocki further criticized the current permitting process, arguing that it is inadequate to address these risks. “The Vineyard Wind disaster proves that we don’t fully understand the dangers of this type of contamination. We should not proceed with further development until we do.”
Despite these concerns, Revolution Wind is scheduled to begin installing the first towers and blades on existing monopiles just 15 miles off the coast of Rhode Island this week.
Support for a moratorium on offshore wind development is growing, with the Aquinnah Tribe and Nantucket grassroots group ACK4Whales joining the call. Critics argue that OSW projects not only pose significant environmental risks but also threaten marine wildlife, disrupt local industries such as tourism, sailing, and fishing, and could lead to higher electricity prices due to the high cost of offshore wind energy.
“It makes no sense for the government to allow foreign energy giants like Orsted, which is behind Sunrise, Revolution, and South Fork Wind, to despoil our environment, endanger species, and raise electricity prices for projects that may ultimately hinder our efforts to protect the planet,” Quattrocki concluded.
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