Lawsuit aims to block Massachusetts offshore wind to protect whales

A group of environmentalists in Massachusetts plans to take legal action against the construction of offshore wind parks in state waters over concerns that they would pose a hazard to endangered species.

The group called Nantucket Residents Against Turbines said on Tuesday it has scheduled a press conference today to announce the filing of a lawsuit in a Boston federal court, seeking to stop the installation of over 2,000 turbines off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Their demands are based on fears that construction activities would have an adverse effect on the life of the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW), which is “critically endangered” with fewer than 400 specimens remaining globally.

The Massachusetts and Rhode Island wind lease areas cover one of the whale’s last strongholds, for migration, foraging and raising their young, the organisation says on its website.

The waters off Massachusetts’ coast are set to accommodate 2,020 turbines. The US’ first utility-scale offshore wind farm -- the 800-MW Vineyard Wind project, proposed by Avangrid Renewables and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) -- in May received the Record of Decision (ROD) from the Department of Interior -- the final step in the federal review process.

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