Just hours after his inauguration, President Donald Trump ordered the federal government to conduct a review of the “ecological, economic, and environmental necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases."
The Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement lifted a suspension order Friday that initially prevented the construction and operation of the more than 800-feet tall turbines. One turbine is currently sending power to the mainland.
The Biden administration approved plans to build a 141-turbine wind farm south of the Vineyard last week as another project off the Island’s coast appeared to be stalling out.
A panel of judges with the U.S. First Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s decision on Dec. 5, saying claims that the federal government mishandled the approval process for the wind farm were unfounded.
As regulators consider projects up and down the east coast, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have been simulating the booming sound of pile driving turbine monopiles to see if it has an effect on a variety of species.
Donald Trump, who has long railed against wind turbines, threatened to halt the industry on “day one” of his presidency throughout his campaign, raising concerns for advocates who feel wind energy is a major factor in meeting state and federal climate goals.
GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the blades for the wind farm south of the Island, said Wednesday that it intends to remove more turbine blades as a precautionary measure, while taking steps to strengthen others.
GE Vernova, the manufacturer of the blade that doubled over in July and poured down into the sea, had vessels at the malfunctioning turbine Sunday with the goal of retrieving the large pieces of the 305-foot blade.
