October 12, 2023 — Another large offshore wind farm near the southern New England coast is moving forward after securing the support of Rhode Island coastal regulators.
The state Coastal Resources Management Council unanimously voted Tuesday to award what’s known as a consistency certification to New England Wind, a two-part project of up to 130 turbines being developed by energy giant Avangrid Renewables. The council agreed that the project, with certain conditions attached, is consistent with Rhode Island coastal policies.
Fishermen advisory board’s walkout means fewer questions for project
The vote came at the end of a meeting that was much shorter and less contentious than similar deliberations on previous offshore wind proposals that have come before the Rhode Island council.
That was due in large part to the mass resignation five weeks ago of all the members of a board that advises the council on fishing impacts in protest of what they described as a regulatory process tilted in favor of offshore wind developers. Without the input of the Fishermen’s Advisory Board, there were fewer questions put to the representatives of Avangrid about their 2,004-megawatt project.