EAST GREENWICH – The offshore wind industry has not always been embraced with open arms.
But criticism was noticeably absent from a Wednesday meeting about the Revolution Wind farm proposed off the Rhode Island coast.
The informational session and comment period hosted by the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management was one of a series of five public meetings seeking input on the project by Orsted A/S and Eversource Energy LLC.
The comments will be used to help shape the federal agency’s final review and decision of how the massive, 704-megawatt wind project will affect the surrounding environment and economy.
The hearings come a little over a month after BOEM issued an initial review of the project. The 2,000-page draft published Aug. 29 looked at the wind farm’s effect on a range of environmental and economic issues, including air quality, commercial and recreational fishing, boat navigation, recreation and tourism. The offshore wind industry’s potential to disrupt fishing and tourism and damage critical environmental habitats has been a growing source of concern across the region and in Rhode Island, with many critics contending that there is not enough information about the nascent industry to guarantee there won’t be consequences.
That was not the case Wednesday at the Swift Community Center in East Greenwich, where the message was one of resounding support.
About a dozen people spoke, representing environmental, fishing and business industries. Across the board, they touted the project’s benefits for meeting the state’s ambitious climate goals well worth a small disruption to the ecosystem and fishing industry.
“There’s no perfect energy source out there,” said Jed Thorpe, the Rhode Island state director for Clean Water Action. “Offshore wind is the best bang for our buck in terms of meeting our energy needs but also taking care of our environment and meeting our climate change goals as well.”
BOEM’s draft report on Revolution Wind did not find any significant environmental or economic problems that might be caused by the project. Certain areas, such as commercial and recreational fishing, scientific research and water views, are going to suffer with or without the wind farm because of climate change, development and other external factors, the report stated.
The project may bring long-term economic benefits such as jobs to the region, although the exact number of jobs in Rhode Island was not specified in the report.
Scott Yerman, a longtime fisherman, credited the project for offering him a new job opportunity, taking his boat out to survey the area through work with Connecticut company Sea Services North America.
“Orsted has provided guys like me a new way to earn money,” Yerman said.
He also noted how further research into the project assuaged his concerns, saying that the area around the turbines will remain open for fishing and that the one-mile separation between each structure means boats can still pass.
“If more people did the same work, I am pretty sure they would come to the same conclusions we have, that offshore wind and commercial fishing will be fine side by side,” Yerman said.
Though some supporters urged BOEM to expedite the approval process, the permitting review has already been plagued by delays that have pushed back the original construction timeline by several years.
Now developers plan to start construction in 2023, finishing the project by 2025.
Orsted and Eversource issued a joint statement after the draft review was published, calling it an “Important milestone.”
“This critical project is now one step closer to delivering enough clean, renewable energy to power hundreds of thousands of homes throughout the region and playing a key role in helping both Rhode Island and Connecticut meet their ambitious clean energy goals,” the developers stated. “As we review the draft findings, we would like to thank the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for its comprehensive and diligent review. As always, Revolution Wind remains committed to working with our community and environmental partners to ensure that the project is built responsibly and sustainably. In the weeks to come, we look forward to hearing directly from residents and stakeholders as the review process continues.”
Another in-person public information session will be held in New Bedford on Thursday, and a virtual meeting is scheduled for Oct. 11. The agency is also accepting written comments online or by mail through Oct. 17.
For more information, visit https://www.boem.gov/renewable-energy/state-activities/revolution-wind.
(Story updated to include comments from the public meeting on Wednesday night.)
