July 26, 2024 - Vineyard Wind Turbine Blade Crisis Update

State Agencies Involvement

Yesterday's afternoon, Town Administration and Select Board Chair Brooke Mohr had an initial meeting with representatives from the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, including the Directors of Coastal Zone Management, Fish and Game, and the Department of Environmental Protection. The group discussed state monitoring and response efforts, and promised to schedule regular meetings to coordinate with the Town. Outreach to the federal Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement has been initiated to track the ongoing status of the stop work order at Vineyard Wind.

Communications

Going forward, the Communications Office will issue press releases on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, except in the event of an emergency. To stay up to date with updates related to this matter, please subscribe to our Offshore Wind email list. To receive notifications on Town news, projects, and initiatives, please subscribe to this News & Noteworthy email list and follow us on social media.

Weather Conditions

Today's wind is expected to be from the NW at approximately 10-15 knots. Today there is no update of the models from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) or the U.S. Coast Guard to report. Changes in wind conditions that could impact debris movement are being monitored.

Debris Collection

Vineyard Wind and GE crews continue collecting blade debris from the water via offshore vessels. Debris collection efforts also persist across South Side beaches. Observed debris includes a mix of foam and fiberglass pieces of varying sizes.

REMINDER TO THE PUBLIC

• DO NOT put any debris in your home garbage.
• DO NOT bring the debris to the landfill.
• DO notify the proper authorities immediately if you have debris so they can remove it for analysis and proper disposal.

Only trained employees or contractors are responsible for collecting and removing the debris.

To report any remaining debris, please contact:

• Phone: 833-609-5768
• Reports of debris can also be sent to the cleanup contractor here.

Economic Damages

Vineyard Wind is working on setting up a process for financial claims. We will share this information as soon as it is available to us.

The impacts of this event will continue to unfold in the coming days and weeks. Town Administration and the Select Board are committed to providing daily morning briefings to the Nantucket public regarding this matter. Vineyard Wind is fully responsible for the repercussions on Nantucket, and Town Administration and the Select Board will ensure they are held accountable.