Offshore wind energy developer Park City Wind is suing the Edgartown conservation commission after the town board denied the company’s application to install two offshore wind cables in town waters, potentially threatening the entire project.

The Connecticut-based developer filed a lawsuit in Dukes County Superior Court earlier this month, alleging that the town denial based on local and state wetland regulations ignored evidence supporting the project and relied on “clearly erroneous conclusions.”

Calling the denial “nonsensical,” Park City Wind has also appealed the commission’s decision to the state Department of Environmental Protection, which is expected to soon issue a superseding order of conditions under state law.

The DEP could approve, conditionally approve, or uphold the commission’s denial. DEP spokesperson Ed Coletta said the department expects to issue a ruling in the next couple weeks.

According to the lawsuit, the conservation commission similarly denied approval of the Vineyard Wind offshore wind energy project in 2019. DEP reversed the commission’s denial in that case, allowing the cable installation to proceed.

The 800-megawatt planned Park City Wind project, which is owned by Avangrid, the same renewable energy company that co-owns Vineyard Wind, underwent a series of public hearings with the conservation commission last fall to determine the environmental impact of the installation.

During those hearings, commission chair Ed Vincent questioned the placement of the cables, which would take place in the same one-mile width corridor as Vineyard Wind’s cables. Commission member Maximillian Gibbs raised concern over whether the cables could get dislodged over time.

An environmental engineering consulting firm contracted by Park City Wind said the cables were being placed where it made the most sense, and they were not likely to move in the stable seabed.

Citing concern for marine life and the nearby coastal wetlands, the commission rejected Park City Wind’s application in its November 30 public hearing.

The lawsuit goes into specifics about the project’s impact on marine mammal life, citing what the plaintiffs allege was a misjudgment on the commission’s part.

“The Commission’s statement…suggests the Commission erroneously believed that Park City Wind was authorized to injure or even kill marine mammals,” the complaint read.

Park City Wind said they only had authorization to potentially disturb or disrupt marine mammals in the area.

Edgartown officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement sent to the Gazette, Avangrid spokesperson Craig Gilvarg pointed out that the Martha’s Vineyard Commission had already approved the project and said that the Park City Wind application had been nearly identical to the first phase of the Vineyard Wind project already underway.

“Avangrid’s Vineyard Wind 1 project further demonstrates the safe and thorough approach the company will take to ensure the cable is installed in an environmentally responsible manner that protects the ocean resource and marine wildlife,” Mr. Gilvarg said.