July 21, 2024 - Vineyard Wind Turbine Blade Crisis Update

Debris Collection

Offshore vessels are actively removing debris, which includes foam and fiberglass pieces of varying sizes, mainly smaller fragments. On Saturday afternoon, Vineyard Wind received reports of new debris washing ashore on various south side beaches, including Cisco and Smith's Point. Crews were deployed to the area and continue collecting debris in the area as of this morning.

Weather Conditions

As of this moment, Vineyard Wind has not received the latest models from the U.S. Coast Guard or from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The wind forecast for today is from the west-south-wind at approximately 12 knots. If winds from the south strengthen, there is a possibility of more fiberglass or foam washing ashore later today.

Aerial Debris Tracking

Vineyard Wind conducted flight reconnaissance on Saturday afternoon, identifying some debris on the waters. Subsequently, vessels were sent to the areas where debris was found to recover it.

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.

Select Board Executive Session
The Select Board and County Commissioners will hold an executive session on Tuesday, July 23 at 12 PM to discuss the Town's strategy related to recovery costs associated with the blade failure. All executive sessions are closed to the public as an open meeting may have detrimental effect on the Town's position.

State and Federal Agencies
The Town has been contacted by Senator Julian Cyr and the Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA), Rebecca Tepper, with offers of assistance. The EEA has held daily meetings with Vineyard Wind and has convened a group of state agencies, including the Department of Environmental Protection, to monitor the ongoing situation with the turbine blade failure and its impacts on Nantucket. The EEA has also been in close contact with relevant federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement. Next week, Secretary Tepper will provide the Town with a summary of her office's efforts to date.

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.