November 27, 2024 — With the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) set to issue a permit for the SouthCoast Wind project south of Nantucket next month, the town has put out an “urgent” plea for island residents to lobby state and federal preservation authorities to stall the process.
The goal is not only to get BOEM to improve its proposed mitigation for Nantucket, but also to potentially drag out the approval process beyond the Jan. 20th, 2025 inauguration of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, who has vowed to end offshore wind projects on “day one.”
The SouthCoast Wind project is still in the midst of the so-called Section 106 process of the National Historic Preservation Act, which deals with the impacts on historic propertiesthe Se and gives the town standing with BOEM, as the island is a registered National Historic Landmark. The town has already objected to BOEM’s mitigation proposal for the SouthCoast Wind: just $150,000 for historic property surveys and archeological assessments – to limit the impact of the offshore energy development on the island. Despite those objections during the Section 106 process, BOEM appears poised to issue a permit for SouthCoast Wind on December 19, an approval which opponents believe is being rushed through before the Biden administration leaves the White House.